20030318003189A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Amtr PANZL1 · Vernal, UT · March 18, 2003

Date: March 18, 2003 · 09:20 local
Place: Vernal, UT
Phase of flight: Forced Landing
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N11ZL
NTSB investigation: NTSBDEN03LA051
Reported as: Amtr PANZL1
Reported engine: Franklin 6A350*
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 1,800 total2 in this make and model40 in the last 90 days

N11ZLRegistered now · Panzl B H/Panzl C J PANS/N ZL-1 Airframe modelPanzl B H/Panzl C J PAN Engine modelFranklin 6V-335 seriesReciprocating

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry 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.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

(-23) On 3-18-03 pilot vigoren was on his first flight from steamboat springs, Colorado to Vernal, Utah, when the engine failed and he made an emergency landing 3 miles east of the Vernal airport on us highway 40. The pilot landed hard resulting in the right main landing gear being driven into the lower right wing and damaging the wing spar. The nose wheel also collapsed damaging the oil tank and firewall. This is a biplane aircraft and the upper wing had wrinkles near the right tip. Pilot vigoren was the sole occupant of the aircraft and was not injured. The Vernal airport weather at the time of the accident was 6000 overcast 10 miles visibility and the wind was 020 degrees at 15 knots gusting to 22 knots temperature 3 c. the airplane had approximately 1/4 tank of fuel in a 18 gallon fuselage tank. There is an 8 gallon wing tank that feeds into the fuselage tank, it was empty. This is a one of a kind experimental amatuer built airplane.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) ON 3-18-03 PILOT VIGOREN WAS ON HIS FIRST FLIGHT FROM STEAMBOAT SPRINGS, COLORADO TO VERNAL, UTAH, WHEN THE ENGINE FAILED AND HE MADE AN EMERGENCY LANDING 3 MILES EAST OF THE VERNAL AIRPORT ON US HIGHWAY 40. THE PILOT LANDED HARD RESULTING IN THE RIGHT MAIN LANDING GEAR BEING DRIVEN INTO THE LOWER RIGHT WING AND DAMAGING THE WING SPAR. THE NOSE WHEEL ALSO COLLAPSED DAMAGING THE OIL TANK AND FIREWALL. THIS IS A BIPLANE AIRCRAFT AND THE UPPER WING HAD WRINKLES NEAR THE RIGHT TIP. PILOT VIGOREN WAS THE SOLE OCCUPANT OF THE AIRCRAFT AND WAS NOT INJURED. THE VERNAL AIRPORT WEATHER AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT WAS 6000 OVERCAST 10 MILES VISIBILITY AND THE WIND WAS 020 DEGREES AT 15 KNOTS GUSTING TO 22 KNOTS TEMPERATURE 3 C. THE AIRPLANE HAD APPROXIMATELY 1/4 TANK OF FUEL IN A 18 GALLON FUSELAGE TANK. THERE IS AN 8 GALLON WING TANK THAT FEEDS INTO THE FUSELAGE TANK, IT WAS EMPTY. THIS IS A ONE OF A KIND EXPERIMENTAL AMATUER BUILT AIRPLANE.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB DEN03LA051Accident · Minor injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportVernal, UTthe pilot's inadequate preflight preparation and his lack of familiarity with the airplane, which subsequently resulted in fuel starvation to the engine. Contributing factors were unfavorable wind conditions and the downdraft weather condition.Mar 18, 2003 · Substantial damage