After Leveling The Airplane At 3,000 Ft MSL, The Engine Lost All Power Without Any Unusual Sounds

Location: Lady Lake, FL Accident Number: ERA21LA009
Date & Time: October 6, 2020, 15:30 Local Registration: N78BM
Aircraft: Velocity Elite Injuries: 1 Minor
Flight Conducted Under:

On October 6, 2020, about 1530 eastern daylight time, an experimental, amateur-built Velocity Elite RG, N78BM, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Lady Lake, Florida.

The airline transport pilot incurred minor injuries. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight.

The pilot reported that he purchased fuel and departed with 31 gallons on an instrument flight rules flight from Gainesville Regional Airport (GNV), Gainesville, Florida to Executive Airport (ORL), Orlando, Florida. About 20 minutes into the flight, the pilot descended the airplane from 7,000 ft mean sea level (msl) to 3,000 ft msl, to fly below some convective cloud buildup. About 1 to 2 minutes after leveling the airplane at 3,000 ft msl, the engine lost all power without any unusual sounds. The pilot verified adequate fuel and that the mixture and throttle were in the correct positions; however, he was unable to restart the engine. With the assistance of air traffic control, the pilot attempted to glide the airplane to Leesburg International Airport (LEE), Leesburg, Florida, but soon realized that the airplane would not glide the full distance to the airport. The pilot subsequently landed in a field and the airplane struck a fence before coming to rest upright, resulting in damage to the wings and fuselage.

The airplane was assembled in 1997 and equipped with a Franklin engine manufactured that same year. At the time of the accident, the airframe and engine had accumulated about 467 hours since new. The wreckage was retained for further examination.

FMI: www.ntsb.gov