Accident Navion A N4418K, Sunday 23 September 2012

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Date:	Sunday 23 September 2012
Time:	08:35 LT
Type:	Navion A
Owner/operator:	Private
Registration:	N4418K
MSN:	NAV-4-1418
Year of manufacture:	1948
Total airframe hrs:	865 hours
Engine model:	Continental E225
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1
Other fatalities:	0
Aircraft damage:	Substantial
Category:	Accident
Location:	Lompoc, California - United States of America
Phase:	Initial climb
Nature:	Private
Departure airport:	Lompoc Airport, CA (LPC/KLPC)
Destination airport:	Lodi, CA (1O3)
Investigating agency:	NTSB
Confidence Rating:	Accident investigation report completed and information captured

Narrative:
After the airplane took off and turned downwind, the engine began to lose power. The pilot activated the boost pump, but this was followed by a total loss of engine power. The pilot then elected to return to the departure runway, but after he realized that he had insufficient altitude to reach the runway, he chose to land in an open field. Following touchdown, the airplane sustained substantial damage to the aft fuselage after sliding about 80 feet before coming to rest upright. A postaccident examination of the carburetor, boost pump, and relief valve revealed no anomalies that would have precluded normal operation. Although the airplane was operating in a regime where it may be susceptible to serious carburetor icing at cruise power, the engine was operating at higher power setting, and there was no evidence that carburetor icing played a role in the accident. The reason for the loss of engine could not be determined.

Probable Cause: A total loss of engine power after takeoff for reasons that could not be determined because postaccident examination did not reveal any anomalies that would have precluded normal operation.

Accident investigation: