Amateur-built BDB001 N191CK accident near Wadesboro, North Carolina

Probable cause

A reported total loss of engine power and a subsequent forced landing for reasons that could not be determined because the pilot did not make the wreckage available for examination.

NTSB analysis

The pilot reported that about 30 minutes into the flight, at 3,400 ft mean sea level, the electric fuel pump light extinguished, meaning that the selected pump was not operating. The engine subsequently lost all power. He reversed course, changed to the other fuel pump, and the engine restarted. About 6-7 minutes later, the fuel pump light extinguished again, followed by another total loss of engine power. He maneuvered to a nearby field for a forced landing; however, the main landing gear struck a tree and the airplane spun to the ground. The wreckage came to rest inverted in a wooded area and there was no fire. The pilot, who built the airplane, sustained serious injuries and the airframe was substantially damaged. A Federal Aviation Administration inspector conducted a cursory examination of the airplane at the accident site but was unable to examine the engine.

The wreckage was recovered to the pilot’s personal hangar. The NTSB investigator-in-charge (IIC) interviewed the pilot after the accident and requested that he preserve the wreckage and advise on a date where an examination of the engine and fuel system could be performed. Despite making several attempts to coordinate a wreckage examination over the course of four months, the pilot eventually responded that he had disposed of most of the wreckage. Since the wreckage was not available to be examined, the reason for the reported loss of engine power could not be determined.

Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for ERA23LA241 for the full record.