Alon A2 accident near Apex, North Carolina, April 27, 2014
On April 27, 2014 at about 9:00 pm local time, a 1965 Alon A2, registered N6364V, was substantially damaged in an accident near Apex, North Carolina (Deck Airpark airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A total loss of engine power during initial climb for reasons that could not be determined during postaccident examination and testing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 27, 2014 · about 9:00 pm local time
- Place
- Apex, North Carolina · Deck Airpark · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Alon A2, built 1965 · all A2s on the register
- Registration
- N6364V · registry record · serial A-40
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot stated that, before the accident flight, the airplane had about 15 gallons of automotive gasoline in the fuel tanks. The taxi and initial takeoff were "normal"; however, when the airplane was about 100 ft above the trees that bordered the airport, the engine experienced a sudden total loss of power. The pilot then reduced the throttle and reapplied full throttle. Although the engine momentarily restarted, it then immediately lost power. The airplane subsequently impacted trees and came to rest inverted. Local authorities reported a strong fuel smell at the accident location, but the exact amount of spilled fuel could not be determined. Examination of the airframe and a subsequent test run of the engine revealed no mechanical anomalies that would have precluded normal operation. Federal Aviation Administration guidance indicates that vapor lock is a problem that mostly affects gasoline-fueled internal combustion engines and can result in a transient or complete loss of power. The guidance further states that restarting the engine from this state may be difficult because fuel can be vaporized by engine heat. Given that the ambient air temperature, the fuel flow condition (takeoff), and the likely engine temperature were conducive to the occurrence of vapor lock, it is possible that the loss of engine power was due to vapor lock; however, insufficient evidence existed to determine whether vapor lock occurred during the accident flight. The weather conditions about the time of the accident were conducive to the accumulation of carburetor icing at cruise and glide power; however, given the pilot's statement that the engine operated "normally" until the sudden loss of power and that the airplane was climbing at a high power setting, it is not likely that the carburetor accumulated ice.
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
- 350341 during loss of engine power
- 600440 during other
- 600470 during other
The NTSB's findings
- cause Not determined › Not determined › (general) › (general) › Unknown/Not determined
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Tree(s) › Contributed to outcome
Pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land, none, none, none
- Flight time: 1,525.5 hours in all; 38.2 in this make and model; 3.2 in the last 90 days; 1 in the last 30 days; 1,471.5 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: August 6, 2013
- Medical certificate: class 3
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,878.9 hours
- Last inspection: type not recorded, January 4, 2014; 7 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,450 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental C90-16F (piston); 1,879 hours total
- Operating certificate: in the vicinity
The flight
- Departed from: NC11 Apex NC at 9:00 pm
- Destination: 2GC Grays Creek NC
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 22, 1,950 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 210° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scattered at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 82°C, dew point 48°C
- Altimeter: 29.92 inHg
- Observation at 8:51 pm from KRDU, 11 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number ERA14LA208.