# Accident 19980613013489A: Amtr DRAGONFLY, Thermal, CA, June 13, 1998

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: June 13, 1998, 14:45 local time
- Place: Thermal, CA
- Airport: Thermal Airport
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Fcd/Prec Ldg From Cruise
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 33.5505° N, 115.9695° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=33.5505&lon=-115.9695&mi=10
- Aircraft: N824JC, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N824JC-2025-03-15) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Scott Jerry DRAGONFLY (registry code 05644TH, https://openairdocs.org/model/scott-jerry-dragonfly) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Revmaster 2100 (registry code 52550, https://openairdocs.org/engine/revmaster-2100) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: AMTR DRAGONFLY
- Reported engine: AMTRVW VW2100VOLKS
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 308 total, 3 in this make and model, 5 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB LAX98LA194](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX98LA194) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19980613013489A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

ACFT CRASHED INTO A FIELD AND CAME TO REST UPSIDE DOWN, MECCA, CA. (.4) THE PILOT HAD RECEIVED APPROXIMATELY 2 HOURS OF INSTRUCTION IN THE ACCIDENT AIRCRAFT BEFORE THE ACCIDENT FLIGHT. DURING CLIMBOUT THE FUEL GAGE FOR THE HEADER TANK WAS INDICATING A LOWERING TREND, AND WHEN HE LEVELED THE AIRCRAFT TO OBTAIN ANOTHER READING, HE NOTED A LESSER AMOUNT THAN EXPECTED. HE ATTEMPTED TO MAKE A PRECAUTIONARY LANDING AT AN ALTERNATE AIRPORT; HOWEVER, 6 MILES FROM THE ALTERNATE AIRPORT THE ENGINE SURGED AND QUIT.  THE PILOT ATTEMPTED AN UNSUCCESSFUL RESTART, AND MADE AN EMERGENCY LANDING IN A SOFT DIRT FIELD.  THE PREVIOUS OWNER OF THE AIRCRAFT STATED THAT ON THE DAY OF THE ACCIDENT THE AIRCRAFT WAS REFUELED OUT OF A GAS CAN, BUT HE DID NOT REMEMBER THE AMOUNT OF FUEL.  HE STATED THAT THE AIRCRAFT CARRIES APPROXIMATELY 16 GALLONS OF FUEL AND THE HEADER TANK HAS APPROXIMATELY 45 MINUTES OF FLIGHT TIME.  THE PREVIOUS OWNER STATED THAT THE TRANSFER PUMP IS SUPPOSED TO BE ON AT ALL TIMES, AND THE FUEL IS TRANSFERRED FROM THE MAIN TANK TO THE HEADER TANK VIA A TRANSFER PUMP.  THE HEADER TANK IS SUPPOSED TO REMAIN FULL AT ALL TIMES THROUGH THIS PROCEDURE.  A SITE GAGE IS AVAILABLE AND WHEN THE F UEL DROPS BELOW THE GREEN MARK IT INDICATES THAT THE TRANSFER PUMP IS EITHER NOT ON OR THERE IS SOMETHING WRONG WITH IT. WHEN THE TRANSFER PUMP IS OFF, A RED CAUTION LIGHT ILLUMINATES TO LET THE PILOT KNOW THAT SOMETHING IS NOT WORKING PROPERLY.  ACCORDING TO A FUELING LOG OBTAINED FROM THE LOCAL FUEL COMPANY, TWO MISCELLANEOUS FUEL SALES WERE MADE ON THE DAY OF THE ACCIDENT.  ONE SALE WAS FOR 10.8 GALLONS WITH NO AIRCRAFT IDENTIFIER, THE OTHER SALE WAS FOR 5.2 GALLONS AND WAS A CASH SALE IN A GAS CAN.                 (-23) SEE NARRATIVE #LAX98LA194

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB LAX98LA194](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX98LA194), Jun 13, 1998: Scott Dragonfly (N824JC), Mecca, CA, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's inadequate preflight inspection and his failure to ensure sufficient fuel was in the airplane, which subsequently led to fuel exhaustion. A related factor was the soft terrain.

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

---
OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.