Amateur-built 1600R accident near Marshall, Michigan, June 7, 2020
On June 7, 2020 at about 7:13 pm local time, a 2017 amateur-built 1600R, registered N827WS, was substantially damaged in an accident during initial climb near Marshall, Michigan. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
Maintenance personnel’s improper installation of an improperly sized clamp on the fuel supply line, which allowed air to enter the supply line, a subsequent loss of engine power, and a forced landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 7, 2020 · about 7:13 pm local time
- Place
- Marshall, Michigan · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built 1600R No Series, built 2017
- Registration
- N827WS · no longer on the register · serial 08162017CJS
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot departed from a campground area in the single-engine experimental airplane. During the airplane’s initial climb, the engine lost power and the pilot made a forced landing into a cornfield, which substantially damaged both wing struts. Postaccident examination of the engine revealed a loose fuel supply line to the inlet fitting of the vacuum-driven fuel pump. Although the clamp on the inlet fitting was tightened to its maximum clamping position, it was not the correct size, and the fuel supply line was still loose in the fitting. Thus, it is likely that maintenance personnel did not ensure an airtight fitting with a properly sized clamp, which allowed air to enter the fuel supply line and resulted in 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 (total) during initial climb defining event
- Off-field or emergency landing during emergency descent
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Maintenance › (general) › Maintenance personnel
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Fuel system › (general) › Incorrect service/maintenance
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 62 hours in all; 5 in this make and model; 3 in the last 90 days; 3 in the last 30 days; 21 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: October 24, 2019
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: sngl
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: condition inspection, June 7, 2020; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 560 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rotax 447 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PRIV Marshall MI at 7:12 pm
- Destination: PRIV Marshall MI
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 50°F (10°C)
- Altimeter: 30.12 inHg
- Observation at 6:55 pm from KRMY, 2 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
4 documents, released by the NTSB on October 9, 2020. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 9 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Examination Report | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 3 | Examination Video | video | View Download |
| 4 | Correspondence with Eaa on Fuel Line Clamp | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.