Event CHI00LA298

Factual narrative

On September 12, 2000, at 1730 central daylight time, an experimental Morrison E-Racer, N345JM, was substantially damaged when it landed in a bean field near Sugar Grove, Illinois, after it had experienced a loss of power. The private pilot was not injured. The 14 CFR Part 91 flight had departed from Aurora Municipal Airport (ARR), Aurora, Illinois, at 1655 on a local test flight. The airplane was on a left base to runway 33 when it experienced a loss of power. An emergency landing was made to a bean field about 1/2 mile south of the airport. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed. The pilot reported he was performing a test flight to test the cylinder head cooling ducts. On the left base to final approach to runway 33 at ARR, the airplane had a total loss of power. The pilot reported, "... because of altitude and time, a emergency landing was made to a bean field 1/2 to 1/4 mile from RW 33." The pilot reported he had extended the turn to base due to traffic in the landing pattern. The pilot reported that he had modified the airplane with a relief pressure valve in the air intake so that supercharged air could be vented prior to the fuel servo when the engine was at idle. The pilot reported that on the accident flight the engine was flooded with fuel when the throttle was pulled back to idle. The engine quit and a forced landing was executed. The pilot reported he was performing a test flight to test the cylinder head cooling ducts. On the left base to final approach to runway 33 at ARR, the airplane had a total loss of power. The pilot reported, "... because of altitude and time, a emergency landing was made to a bean field 1/2 to 1/4 mile from RW 33." The pilot reported he had extended the turn to base due to traffic in the landing pattern. The pilot reported that he had modified the airplane with a relief pressure valve in the air intake so that supercharged air could be vented prior to the fuel servo when the engine was at idle. The pilot reported that on the accident flight the engine was flooded with fuel when the throttle was pulled back to idle. The engine quit and a forced landing was executed. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12