Amateur-built MURPHY RENEGADE accident near Guilford, Connecticut, August 14, 2017
On August 14, 2017 at about 8:20 pm local time, a 1995 amateur-built MURPHY RENEGADE, registered N210SQ, was substantially damaged in an accident near Guilford, Connecticut. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person 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 for reasons that could not be determined based on the available evidence.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 14, 2017 · about 8:20 pm local time
- Place
- Guilford, Connecticut · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built MURPHY RENEGADE NO SERIES, built 1995
- Registration
- N210SQ · registry record · serial REN 575
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airline transport pilot stated that this was the first flight after the carburetors were inspected, repaired, and reinstalled on the engine. The pilot stated that he used automotive fuel with 5% ethanol and noted no water in the fuel during his preflight inspection. About 30 minutes into the flight, the engine lost total power, and the pilot made a forced landing to a field. During the landing, the airplane struck powerlines and came to rest in the field, which resulted in substantial damage to the forward section of the fuselage. Earlier in the year, the pilot had the carburetors inspected and repaired twice as a result of a rough-running engine. Further, in a letter to the maintenance facility dated the month before the accident, he stated that he had the ignition modules replaced, spark plugs replaced, and multiple other engine components inspected because the engine continued to run "rough." The pilot stated that each time the carburetors were inspected, there was evidence of water in the fuel, and one of the fuel jets was corroded. Postaccident examination of the engine revealed that the left idle mixture screw had a small amount of corrosion on it; otherwise, no anomalies were noted with the engine that would have precluded normal operation. If there was water in the fuel, it could have resulted in the engine running roughly on previous flights and possibly the loss of engine power on the accident flight. However, the pilot did not note water in the fuel during his preflight inspection on the day of the accident. Additionally, engine manufacturer guidance stated that the engine was permitted to operate with up to 10% concentrations of ethanol in the fuel, and the pilot was using automotive fuel with 5% of ethanol, so that likely did not lead to the rough-running engine. Although the pilot reported various problems with the engine during the airplane's 90 flight hours before the accident, the postaccident examination of the engine did not reveal any evidence of malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation; thus, the investigation was unable to determine the reason for the total 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
- 450341 during 450
- 600440 during other
The NTSB's findings
- cause Not determined › Not determined › (general) › (general) › Unknown/Not determined
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Wire › Contributed to outcome
Pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land, none, none, none
- Flight time: 25,095 hours in all; 562 in this make and model; 22 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days; 9,000 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: October 10, 2016
- Medical certificate: sport pilot
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 562 hours
- Last inspection: condition inspection, April 25, 2017; 7 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,050 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rotax 912UL (piston); 410 hours total
- Operating certificate: in the vicinity
The flight
- Departed from: HVN New Haven CT at 7:50 pm
- Destination: HVN New Haven CT
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 170° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 2,800 ft; scattered at 1,800 ft
- Temperature: 73°C, dew point 68°C
- Altimeter: 29.9 inHg
- Observation at 7:53 pm from HVN, 10 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 1 |
Other NTSB records under N210SQ the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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 ERA17LA276.