Aero Adventure Aventura UL N580TX accident near Garden Ridge, Texas

Probable cause

The total loss of engine power for reasons that could not be determined based on the available evidence.

NTSB analysis

The pilot was performing a local flight in the airport traffic pattern. The engine began to "sputter" while the amphibian airplane was about 300 ft above the ground on the crosswind leg for the runway. The engine subsequently lost total power, and the propeller stopped rotating. The pilot conducted a forced landing in a nearby clearing among trees, and the hull and both wings were substantially damaged. The fuel system had ample fuel, and the fuel shutoff valve was open. The fuel filter assembly and both carburetors contained fuel. The postaccident examination and successful engine test run revealed no evidence of a mechanical malfunction or failure that would have precluded normal operation. Although the weather conditions were conducive for the formation of carburetor ice, the airplane's engine was equipped with carburetors with a variable-venturi design that are not generally prone to carburetor icing.

Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for CEN17LA149 for the full record.