The pilot reported that while flying at a high-density altitude, “it never occurred to me to monitor fuel consumption for the 80-mile flight.” The engine sputtered and the pilot made an emergency landing in a field near Ledgedale, Pennsylvania.
After he landed, he secured fuel for the aircraft and attempted to takeoff. During the takeoff roll, the airplane encountered a “rut” in the surface, and he aborted the takeoff. He attempted another takeoff in an area that provided more useable space to perform the takeoff roll, but the plane climbed about 2 feet and the landing gear entered the tall grass and the airplane abruptly nosed over.
The airplane sustained substantial damage to both wings, the fuselage, and the empennage. The pilot sustained minor injuries.
The pilot reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Probable Cause: The pilot’s selection of unsuitable terrain for takeoff, which resulted a nose-over. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s improper in-flight fuel management, which resulted in the precautionary landing on unsuitable terrain.
This June 2019 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.
What kind of plane? One powered by a rubber band? The elevation of Ledgedale, Pennsylvania is 1200 feet.
July temp and DA was probably 3-4000 ft. Grass was tall and not mowed.
65 hp engine.
Unknown to me. Was engine equipped with carb heat?
How long was runway?
Was engine run-up to maximum RPM by leaning to optimum mixture?
Was there carb/ induction ice?
Speculation on my part but the Quicksilver 2 has a listed power off stall of 38 mph and a Vx of 37mph SLOWER than the power-off stall. That could cause the loss of control/nose-over when encountering the tall grass as the plane would have been barely flying but rather being “dragged” by the engine. The engine a Rotax 582 would normally NOT be equipped with a mixture control and so any density altitude mixture issue would not be adjustable by the pilot at the time. They also would not normally have a provision for carb. heat.