New Engine Produced 'Sinking Feeling" on First Flight After Install

The first flight(s) after any major maintenance should always be approached with a fair degree of caution. A recent dead-stick landing near one of ANN's stomping grounds provided additional proof that such caution should ALWAYS be practiced...

NTSB Identification: ERA11LA079
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Thursday, December 02, 2010 in St. Augustine, FL
Aircraft: EASLER KELLY RANS S6ES, registration: N26PP
Injuries: 1 Minor.

This is preliminary information, subject to change, and may contain errors. Any errors in this report will be corrected when the final report has been completed.

On December 2, 2010, at 1522 eastern standard time, an experimental amateur-built, light sport Easler Rans S6ES airplane, N26PP, operated by a private individual, was substantially damaged during a forced landing near Saint Augustine Airport (SGJ), Saint Augustine, Florida. The certificated airline transport pilot incurred minor injuries. The personal flight was conducted under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed for the local flight that departed SGJ about 1515.

The pilot reported that the accident flight was the first flight after the airplane's engine was removed and replaced with a used Rotax 912 ULS, 100-horsepower engine. The airplane was fueled with 23 gallons of 100-low-lead aviation gasoline. After an extended engine run-up, the airplane departed on runway 31, a 7,996-foot-long, 150-foot-wide, asphalt runway. The takeoff and initial climb were uneventful; however, when the airplane reached an altitude of 1,200 feet mean sea level and began to turn right, an engine vibration developed, with a corresponding partial loss of engine power. The pilot then pushed the throttle lever forward, which "smoothed" the engine for about 5 seconds, and he turned back toward the airport. The engine subsequently lost about 80 percent power with a severe vibration, followed by a total loss of engine power. The pilot established a glide to land on runway 13, or the adjacent highway if the airplane did not reach the runway. Repeated attempts to restart the engine were unsuccessful, and at 30 feet above ground level, just prior to runway 13, the airplane impacted utility wires. The airplane then rolled right, impacted the highway, and came to rest upright on a grassy area next to the highway.

Examination of the wreckage by a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector revealed substantial damage to the wings and fuselage. The inspector planned to further examine the engine with assistance from an engine manufacturer representative.

The recorded weather at SGJ, at 1458, included clear skies and wind from 340 degrees at 5 knots.

FMI: www.ntsb.gov