According to the pilot, at about 40 feet AGL during the initial climb from the grass airstrip in Guthrie, Oklahoma, engine cylinder Nos. 2 and 3 lost power. About 10 seconds later, engine cylinder Nos. 1 and 4 lost power. The pilot was unable to maintain altitude.
He switched fuel tanks in an attempt to regain power, but noted no change in engine performance. The Van’s RV-8A hit trees beyond the departure end of the runway, sustaining substantial damage to both wings, fuselage, and empennage.
Post-accident examination of the engine revealed no compression was noted on the No. 2 cylinder. The air filter was removed from the fiberglass air snorkel/box, and one of the four fabricated retaining brackets was separated and missing (see Figure 1). Elongation was noted on the fiberglass where the rivets secured the fabricated retaining bracket.
The No. 2 cylinder intake tube was removed and a foreign metal piece, consistent with the separated retaining bracket, was observed within the cylinder. The bracket was jammed in the cylinder and under the intake valve seat. The intake valve and retaining bracket were removed from the cylinder (see Figures 2 and 3).
Probable Cause: A loss of engine power due to the separation and ingestion of an air filter retaining bracket into the engine cylinder.
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This August 2024 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.
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