# Accident 20010811038289A: Amtr COMMANDER532, St.Genevieve, MO, August 11, 2001

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: August 11, 2001, 16:30 local time
- Place: St.Genevieve, MO
- Damage: No damage
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 37.9710° N, 90.0394° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=37.9710&lon=-90.0394&mi=10
- Aircraft: N609CE, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N609CE-2002-05-02) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Gremminger Greg 532 COMMANDER (registry code 13027HL, https://openairdocs.org/model/gremminger-greg-532-commander) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Bombardier ROTAX (ALL) (registry code 09050, https://openairdocs.org/engine/bombardier-rotax-all) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: AMTR COMMANDER532
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB CHI01LA278](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI01LA278) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20010811038289A

## Narrative

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

(-23) PILOT AND MECHANIC KESTUTIS L. ZIGAITIS HAD RECENTLY ADDED A CAPACITY TYPE FUEL GAUGE TO SUPPLEMENT THE DIFFICULT TO SEE FLOAT FUEL GAUGE. GAUGE WAS CALIBRATED USING AUTOGAS THAT WAS WITHOUT ALCOHOL. ON THE DAY OF THE ACCIDENT THE GYROCOPTER WAS FILLED WITH AUTOGAS THAT INCLUDED ALCOHOL. THE DIFFERENCE IN CAPACITANCE MAY HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO A READING THAT LED THE PILOT TO BELIEVE MORE FUEL WAS ON BOARD THAN ACTUALLY EXISTED. PILOT CONTINUED FLYING TRAFFIC PATTERNS AT AN ULTRALIGHT FIELD. ON CLIMB OUT, THE ENGINE STOPPED. THE PILOT SET THE GYROCOPTER DOWN IN A SOFT FIELD WITH LITTLE OR NO GROUND RUN. UPON GROUND CONTACT THE NOSE WHEEL SUNK INTO THE GROUND LEADING TO A ROLLOVER OF THE AIRCRAFT. SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE RESULTED. FAA OFFICE MANAGER LARRY BARKLAGE WAS IN THE VICINITY AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. HE EXAMINED THE WRECKAGE AND DETERMINED THERE WAS ONLY RESIDUAL FUEL ON BOARD. THE PILOT CONCURS WITH THAT OBSERVATION AND ADMITS HE RAN OUT OF FUEL.

## 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 CHI01LA278](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI01LA278), Aug 12, 2001: Gremminger 532 Commander (N609CE), Ste. Genevieve, MO, substantial damage. Probable cause: The inadequate fuel supply for the flight which resulted in fuel exhaustion. A factor associated with the accident was the low altitude and the soft terrain on which the forced landing was made.

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.

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