20070825022489A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Amtr Seastar · Kapolei, HI · August 25, 2007

Date: August 25, 2007 · 19:54 local
Place: Kapolei, HI
Airport: Kalaeloa (John Rodgers Field)
Phase of flight: To Aborted (Fixed Wing)
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Operator: HGZA
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N559AW
NTSB investigation: NTSBLAX07LA253
Reported as: Amtr Seastar
Reported engine: ROTAX ROTAX912S
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 1 total1 in this make and model0 in the last 90 days

N559AWRegistered now · Wehmer Alan R SEASTAR (AMPHIBIAN)S/N S0169 · Built 2006 Airframe modelWehmer Alan R SEASTAR (AMPHIBIAN)Engine modelRotax 912S series4 cycle

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) PIC reported the airplane engine quit running upon takeoff. Airplane was on its first flight after being issued an experimental light sport special airworthiness certificate on 08/02/2007. PIC claimed the engine quit and he was forced to make an immediate landing. Damage: left MLG collapsed, left wing is damaged from possible impact damage from a runway marking sign. The PIC has not completed a detailed investigation into the engine stoppage. Aircraft is not resting on the landing gear and will have to have left landing gear secured before the aircraft engine can be runup. Owner will notify this office and ASI will observe engine runup. (-23 amendment) analysis finding: PIC failed to have adequate fuel onboard at the time of takeoff. Both left and right leading edge fuel tanks were empty. The fuselage fuel (header) tank only held less than 6 gallons. Fuel from fuselage (header) tank back fed the leading edge fuel tanks, causing the aircraft engine to stop.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) PIC REPORTED THE AIRPLANE ENGINE QUIT RUNNING UPON TAKEOFF. AIRPLANE WAS ON ITS FIRST FLIGHT AFTER BEING ISSUED AN EXPERIMENTAL LIGHT SPORT SPECIAL AIRWORTHINESS CERTIFICATE ON 08/02/2007. PIC CLAIMED THE ENGINE QUIT AND HE WAS FORCED TO MAKE AN IMMEDIATE LANDING. DAMAGE: LEFT MLG COLLAPSED, LEFT WING IS DAMAGED FROM POSSIBLE IMPACT DAMAGE FROM A RUNWAY MARKING SIGN. THE PIC HAS NOT COMPLETED A DETAILED INVESTIGATION INTO THE ENGINE STOPPAGE. AIRCRAFT IS NOT RESTING ON THE LANDING GEAR AND WILL HAVE TO HAVE LEFT LANDING GEAR SECURED BEFORE THE AIRCRAFT ENGINE CAN BE RUNUP. OWNER WILL NOTIFY THIS OFFICE AND ASI WILL OBSERVE ENGINE RUNUP. (-23 AMENDMENT) ANALYSIS FINDING: PIC FAILED TO HAVE ADEQUATE FUEL ONBOARD AT THE TIME OF TAKEOFF. BOTH LEFT AND RIGHT LEADING EDGE FUEL TANKS WERE EMPTY. THE FUSELAGE FUEL (HEADER) TANK ONLY HELD LESS THAN 6 GALLONS. FUEL FROM FUSELAGE (HEADER) TANK BACK FED THE LEADING EDGE FUEL TANKS, CAUSING THE AIRCRAFT ENGINE TO STOP.

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 LAX07LA253Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportKapolei, HIA loss of engine power due to fuel starvation that resulted from the pilot's inadequate preflight planning/preparation and failure to ensure that an adequate fuel supply was onboard the aircraft.Aug 25, 2007 · Substantial damage