RV10 down - Final Report - N910BW

[A2022]

well, you don't want a single electrical connector plug failure to be able to cause an engine failure.... and then, install the plug improperly and let it hide there for a while. a single electrical connector plug failure (or control box failure) should never be able to cause an engine failure, period. if it can then the design is very poor, and you should rid yourself of it. turbine aircraft have two fully independent electrical control circuits, and two separate electrical control boxes. fully independent and powered by a dedicated alternator and backed up by aircraft power (engine driven generators). you could walk up to a running turbine engine and rip a control box off and it wouldn't miss a beat. single engine aircraft need that type of reliability because, well, they only have one engine.

unable to determine if it was a nicely painted.

https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/ ... 105519/pdf

Location: Palatka, Florida Accident Number: ERA22LA322 Date & Time: July 18, 2022, 08:04 Local Registration: N910BW Aircraft: Vans RV10 Aircraft Damage: Substantial Defining Event: Loss of engine power (total) Injuries: 1 Serious Flight Conducted Under: Part 91: General aviation - Personal


Analysis

Shortly after takeoff, the experimental amateur-built airplane’s engine lost total power and the pilot made an off-airport forced landing, resulting in substantial damage to the fuselage, both wings, and the tail section. Postaccident examination of the engine revealed that a cannon plug-type circular connector that connected the engine’s electronic ignition system’s wire harness to the two electronic control units was not properly connected. The manufacturer of the ignition system stated that disengagement of the connector, which carried all electrical signals required to run the ignition system, “…would result in a single point failure of the entire ignition system.” Maintenance records showed that the ignition system had been installed about 21 months before the accident, with no other work to that system detailed between that time and the accident. Based on this information, it is likely that the connector had not been fully secured when the system was installed, and that over time, the partial connection had loosened, ultimately resulting in the loss of engine power.

Probable Cause and Findings

The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident to be: Total loss of engine power due to the improper installation of an electronic ignition system connector plug.