Amateur-built Rans S-10 accident near Cottage Grove, Wisconsin, September 4, 2002
On September 4, 2002, a amateur-built Rans S-10, registered N92PD, was substantially damaged in an accident near Cottage Grove, Wisconsin (Blackhawk Airport). It was a flight test 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 pilot's decision to turn back to the airport following the loss of engine power during initial climb, the pilot not maintaining airspeed and aircraft control, which resulted in the stall at a low altitude. An additional cause was the seizure of the engine piston resulting in the total loss of engine power.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 4, 2002
- Place
- Cottage Grove, Wisconsin · Blackhawk Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built Rans S-10
- Registration
- N92PD · registry record · serial 0290086
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight test · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane impacted terrain during a forced landing attempt, following a loss of engine power shortly after takeoff. A witness reported that approximately 30-40 seconds after the takeoff roll was initiated, he heard the pilot announce over the Unicom frequency, "Mayday, Mayday, my engine quit." The witness reported the airplane was about 200 feet above ground level (agl) and the left wing of the airplane was perpendicular to the ground. The witness stated the airplane was turning toward the south when it impacted a cornfield adjacent to the airport. The witness thought the pilot was attempting to return to the airport. The witness reported the pilot had problems with the aircraft engine approximately one-year prior, and had repaired the engine subsequent to a forced landing. The accident flight was the first flight since the engine repair. The engine was found seized and a teardown inspection was performed. The aft piston had seized to its cylinder as a result of a heat seizure. There was evidence another seizure event that had occurred prior to the accident flight. According to the engine manufacturer, a heat seizure is a condition that occurs when the exhaust gas temperature exceeds 1,200 degrees Fahrenheit. The resulting piston expansion exceeds the manufacturer's design tolerances and the piston seizes to the cylinder wall. The minimum temperature required for a heat seizure is reduced if the piston is contaminated during a previous seizure event and is not repaired.
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
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 600 hours in all; 170 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 174.2 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 26, 2002; 0.1 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 875 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rotax 582 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 87Y Cottage Grove WI
- Destination: 87Y Cottage Grove WI
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 52°F (11°C)
- Altimeter: 30.04 inHg
- Observation at 11:53 pm from MSN, 7 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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.