WELLINGTON, NV, USA
N44JR
Rodgers/Gaust RV-6
All engine power was suddenly lost while cruising over mountainous terrain in the pilot's experimental airplane. The pilot made a forced landing on a soft, brush-covered field, and during rollout the airplane nosed over. The pilot indicated that the power loss resulted from the engine's mixture control cable breaking due to fatigue at its carburetor attachment fitting. The component had a total time in service of 114 hours.
On November 1, 1997, at 0930 hours Pacific standard time, an experimental Rodgers/Gaust RV-6, N44JR, owned and operated by the pilot, was substantially damaged during a forced landing near Wellington, Nevada. Neither the private pilot nor the passenger was injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed during the personal flight, and no flight plan was filed. The flight originated from Bishop, California, at 0830. According to the pilot, engine power was suddenly lost while cruising over mountainous terrain en route to Carson City, Nevada. The pilot made a forced landing in a soft dirt field which was covered with sagebrush. During rollout the airplane nosed over. The pilot reported that the airplane had a total engine and airframe time of 114 hours. In the pilot's completed report, he indicated that the loss of engine power resulted from the engine's mixture control cable breaking at its carburetor attachment fitting. The pilot verbally reported that he believed the cable broke due to fatigue.
Fuel starvation due to a fatigue fractured mixture control cable. Contributing factors were the soft, brush-covered emergency landing field.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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