20111001024549A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Sadler Terry RANS S-7 COURIER · Riley, KS · October 1, 2011

Date: October 1, 2011 · 17:00 local
Place: Riley, KS
Airport: Leo'S Place
Phase of flight: Takeoff: Climb Out
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N2417T
NTSB investigation: NTSBCEN12CA003
Reported as: Sadler Terry Rans S-7 Courier
Reported engine: ROTAX BOMBADIER
People aboard: 2
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 2
Pilot’s certificate: Private pilot
Pilot’s flight hours: 900 total104 in this make and model9 in the last 90 days

N2417TRegistered now · Sadler Terry RANS S-7 COURIERS/N 0496185 · Built 2003 Airframe modelSadler Terry RANS S-7 COURIER Engine modelRotax SEE BOMBADIERReciprocating

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.

The pilot stated he had been flying his aircraft earlier in the day and made several local flights in preparation for a fly-in event. He landed the aircraft, taxied to parking and shut down the airplane. During this process, a family drove their car onto the airport and approached the pilot, who later agreed to provide their son with a ride around the pattern. The pilot taxied the aircraft to the end of runway 11. He initiated the takeoff and after climbing to an altitude of approximately 30 feet, the engine sputtered and quit. The pilot stated he instantly knew the engine failed because he had moved the fuel selector to the off position during his earlier shutdown procedure. The engine failed to restart and the aircraft impacted the ground beyond the end of runway 11.there was no evidence of any mechanical malfunction with the aircraft. The pilot sustained serious injuries and passenger sustained minor injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged.

As the FAA filed it

THE PILOT STATED HE HAD BEEN FLYING HIS AIRCRAFT EARLIER IN THE DAY AND MADE SEVERAL LOCAL FLIGHTS IN PREPARATION FOR A FLY-IN EVENT. HE LANDED THE AIRCRAFT, TAXIED TO PARKING AND SHUT DOWN THE AIRPLANE. DURING THIS PROCESS, A FAMILY DROVE THEIR CAR ONTO THE AIRPORT AND APPROACHED THE PILOT, WHO LATER AGREED TO PROVIDE THEIR SON WITH A RIDE AROUND THE PATTERN. THE PILOT TAXIED THE AIRCRAFT TO THE END OF RUNWAY 11. HE INITIATED THE TAKEOFF AND AFTER CLIMBING TO AN ALTITUDE OF APPROXIMATELY 30 FEET, THE ENGINE SPUTTERED AND QUIT. THE PILOT STATED HE INSTANTLY KNEW THE ENGINE FAILED BECAUSE HE HAD MOVED THE FUEL SELECTOR TO THE OFF POSITION DURING HIS EARLIER SHUTDOWN PROCEDURE. THE ENGINE FAILED TO RESTART AND THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED THE GROUND BEYOND THE END OF RUNWAY 11.THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE OF ANY MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION WITH THE AIRCRAFT.THE PILOT SUSTAINED SERIOUS INJURIES AND PASSENGER SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES. THE AIRCRAFT WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED.

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 CEN12CA003Accident · Serious injuriesData collectionFinal reportRiley, KSA total loss of engine power during takeoff due to fuel starvation as a result of the pilot’s inadequate preflight inspection and failure to ensure that the fuel shutoff valve was turned on before departure.Oct 1, 2011 · Substantial damage