Amateur-built RV9-A N59VA accident near Leander, Texas

Probable cause

The partial loss of engine power for reasons that could not be determined because examination of the engine did not reveal any anomalies that would have precluded normal operation.

NTSB analysis

The pilot departed in an experimental amateur-built airplane for a series of local test flights after a recent engine installation. During the first flight, the engine overheated and the pilot returned for a landing. The second flight was uneventful; however, during the third flight, the pilot noticed that the engine did not sound right, so he returned to the airport. The pilot and a mechanic inspected the engine and did not find any anomalies. When the pilot departed on the fourth flight, the engine lost partial power shortly after takeoff. The pilot turned back to the airport and, during the forced landing, the nose gear impacted a depression in the turf runway and the airplane nosed over. Examination of the airplane’s engine did not reveal a reason for the loss of engine power.

Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for CEN11LA449 for the full record.