RV9A - Preliminary report - N387E

[A2022]

well, it appears to be a difficult location to make a forced landing. year of manufacture was 2024, so it was new.

https://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/376681

An experimental Van's RV-9A, kit built by JMTT LLC, crashed on a road at Hwy 53 and Hill City Rd. in Jasper, Georgia.
The sole pilot was taken to hospital and the aircraft received substantial damage.

[A2022]

you know, we really need to prevent this outcome. the RV9 is good safe airframe. a guy spent all that time building and painting and gets a ride to hospital for more costs. very little in return and even a big negative if injuries linger. money may have been better spent on a cruise to Alaska.

hard impact. appears a piece of the left wing torn off and aircraft spun around. perhaps from the pole.

https://youtu.be/TFjBxr-sSJs?si=6HD9Ebdn9gztUgsv

[A2022]

well, it is a mystery at this point.

https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/ ... 194008/pdf

On March 29, 2024, about 1130 eastern daylight time, an Experimental Amateur Built Vans RV9A airplane, N387E, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near the Pickens County Airport (JZP), Jasper, Georgia. The private pilot sustained serious injuries. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 test flight. According to the private pilot who was also a builder of the airplane, the accident flight was the second flight during the phase one flight testing and the airplane had under two hours of total time. The purpose was to remain near the JZP airport and obtain engine performance data. The pilot reported that after a normal takeoff, he maintained 4,000 ft mean sea level near the airport during the observation of the engine performance, the observations were unremarkable, and then he descended to return to the traffic pattern.

The pilot reported that while approaching a left downwind for runway 34, he observed RPM decline and the Electronic Flight Instrument System (EFIS) timer announced, “change fuel tank.” The pilot subsequently engaged the fuel boost pump and switched from the left to right fuel tank which was followed by a complete loss of engine power. The pilot elected to land in a field and during the landing, the left wing struck a utility pole.

Photographs revealed that the fuselage and wings sustained substantial damage.

The engine was an experimental rebuilt Lycoming O-320 engine with less than two hours since it had been rebuilt. The most recent condition inspection was completed on January 24, 2024.

The airplane was retained for further examination.

[rockwoodrv9a]

That is a shame to damage a plane so soon after finishing. I cant imagine the stuff going through that pilots head now. Ugg

[A2022]

that poor guy. what can be done to keep this from happening again?