Amateur-built 773 Racer accident near Ottumwa, Iowa, June 30, 2011
On June 30, 2011 at about 10:33 pm local time, a amateur-built 773 Racer, registered N773RY, was destroyed in an accident during enroute near Ottumwa, Iowa (Ottumwa Regional Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The loss of engine power for reasons that could not be determined because postaccident examination of the airplane’s engine and ignition system did not reveal any anomalies that would have precluded normal operation, and extensive postaccident fire damage precluded evaluation of the airplane’s fuel system components.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 30, 2011 · about 10:33 pm local time
- Place
- Ottumwa, Iowa · Ottumwa Regional Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built 773 Racer
- Registration
- N773RY · no longer on the register · serial 001
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
A witness reported that he saw the accident airplane on a crosswind leg for the runway when the nose suddenly went down and the pilot began to maneuver toward the runway. Wreckage path evidence, the location of the initial impact, and a witness statement suggested that the pilot of the amateur-built airplane was making a short, left-hand approach to the runway but had insufficient altitude to reach the paved runway surface. The airplane impacted a berm about 650 feet left of the approach end of the runway, travelled an additional 250 feet, and erupted into flames. Examination of the airplane’s engine, and ignition system revealed no evidence of a preimpact mechanical malfunction. Examination of the airplane’s fuel system was not possible due to the extensive fire damage, and no determination of the preimpact condition of the fuel system components could be made. Examination of the airplane’s propeller showed damage consistent with engine rotation with minimal power applied at impact. The witness report, wreckage path evidence, and propeller damage were consistent with an attempt to land the airplane following a loss of engine power.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Loss of engine power (partial) during enroute defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during emergency descent
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Fuel system › (general) › Malfunction
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 6,592 hours in all; 1 in this make and model
- Last flight review: July 7, 2010
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: sngl
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2 hours
- Last inspection: condition inspection
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Fairchild Ranger V-770 (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: OTM Ottumwa IA at 10:30 pm
- Destination: Hedrick IA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 31, 5,885 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 190° at 15 knots, gusting 20
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 91°F (33°C), dew point 77°F (25°C)
- Altimeter: 29.81 inHg
- Observation at 10:53 pm from OTM
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.