The pilot reported that approximately seven miles from his destination airport, he reduced the RV-4’s engine power to descend when “suddenly everything went dark” and the engine lost all power.
The automotive-style powerplant ignition system is dependent on the airplane’s battery system. Unable to restart the engine, the pilot attempted a forced landing in a field near O’Brien, Florida.
He was unable to operate the electrically driven flaps, and as a result, he overflew a series of hay fields before touching down in a third field.
The airplane approached a barbed wire fence at the end of the field, so he attempted to steer away from it. The right wing and main landing gear dug into the terrain and spun the airplane around.
The fuselage and right wing sustained substantial damage in the crash.
A post-accident examination of the airplane by the pilot found that the airplane’s battery was having intermittent voltage drops as a result of an internal crack in the bridge between cells.
Probable Cause: A total loss of engine power and navigational equipment as a result of a faulty battery.
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This November 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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