Aircraft: Glastar. Injuries: None. Location: Canon City, Colo. Aircraft damage: Substantial.
What reportedly happened: The purpose of the flight was to test a new cooling modification on the engine.
When the airplane was on the base leg of the pattern, the engine began overheating, then seized. The plane came down short of the runway in loose dirt. The impact crushed the outboard portion of the left wing and buckled the upper skin of the right wing.
Probable cause: A loss of engine power due to an overheated engine as a result of a malfunction of the modified engine cooling system, necessitating a forced landing on unsuitable terrain.
NTSB Identification: CEN11CA410
This June 2011 accident report is provided by the National Transportation Safety Board. Published as an educational tool, it is intended to help pilots learn from the misfortunes of others.
Probable cause should read: Pilot inattention to altitude and wind factors on base leg.
Once on base, there is no valid reason for not making the runway because of engine failure.
Couldn’t agree more except I would expand that to say once on down wind!