N1549MJim Riggs AK RIDGE RUNNER

On April 23, 2016, about 1445 Alaska daylight time, an amateur built, light sport, experimental AK Ridge Runner airplane, N1549M, sustained substantial damage during an aborted takeoff following a partial loss of engine power from Lincoln Village Airpark, Wasilla, Alaska. The airplane was being operated by the pilot as a personal flight under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91, when the accident occurred. The light sport pilot, the sole occupant of the airplane, was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed.

In a telephone interview with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigator-in-charge (IIC) on April 25, the pilot said that he was departing, uphill, from a 2,000-foot-long by 200-foot-wide gravel runway, which was surrounded by trees. He said that during the takeoff run, as the airplane approached midfield, it became airborne and the engine "sputtered" so he elected to abort the takeoff. He explained that after the airplane touched down again, he was unable to get the airplane stopped before striking a stand of trees at the end of the runway. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing.

The airplane was equipped with a Continental Motors, O-200 series engine.

During a follow-up telephone interview with the NTSB IIC on July 8, the accident pilot reported he and his maintenance technician's postaccident inspection of the airplane revealed no mechanical problems that would have precluded normal operations. He said that on the day of the accident, just before takeoff, he taxied the airplane to the end of the runway with the carburetor heat in the off position. When he reached the end of the runway, he momentarily applied carburetor heat, and then turned it off just before applying takeoff power. He added that loss of engine power was likely was due to carburetor icing.

The closest weather reporting facility was the Wasilla Airport, about 5 miles south of the accident site. The 1416 weather observation from the Wasilla Airport was reporting, in part: Wind 180 degrees (true) at 5 knots; visibility 10 statute miles; clouds and sky condition, 8,500 overcast; temperature, 59 degrees F; dew point 32 degrees F; altimeter 29.61 inHg.

According to a carburetor icing probability chart, the conditions at the time of the accident were conducive for light to moderate carburetor icing at any engine power setting.