20120422007569A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Mays Glen L KITFOX LITE 2 · Cedarville, CA · April 22, 2012

Date: April 22, 2012 · 14:00 local
Place: Cedarville, CA
Airport: Cedarville
Phase of flight: Cruise/Level Flight
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N32122
NTSB investigation: NTSBWPR12LA182
Reported as: Mays Glen L Kitfox Lite 2
Reported engine: ROTAX 582
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 0
Pilot’s certificate: Airline transport
Pilot’s flight hours: 15,200 total40 in this make and model3 in the last 90 days

N32122Registration cancelled Jun 26, 2018 · Mays Glen L KITFOX LITE 2S/N C0206-0281 · Built 2003 Airframe modelMays Glen L KITFOX LITE 2 Engine modelRotax 582SER2 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.

About one hour into the flight, the fuel pressure began to drop. The pilot turned on the electrical fuel pump and the pressure returned to normal. About five minutes later, the fuel pressure again started to drop and the engine showed signs of fuel starvation. The electrical primer was used to regain partial power but eventually, the engine starved for fuel and stopped. An emergency landing was initiated; however, after touch down the aircraft began to drift into some telephone poles. The pilot selected full power and the engine responded; however, shortly thereafter again starved for fuel. The emergency landing was continued and upon touch down, the aircraft impacted a fence with a subsequent collapse of the landing gear. The aircraft came to rest inverted but was turned over shortly thereafter. An on site investigation revealed a total of about 13 gallons of fuel was available in the two fuel tanks.

As the FAA filed it

ABOUT ONE HOUR INTO THE FLIGHT, THE FUEL PRESSURE BEGAN TO DROP. THE PILOT TURNED ON THE ELECTRICAL FUEL PUMP AND THE PRESSURE RETURNED TO NORMAL. ABOUT FIVE MINUTES LATER, THE FUEL PRESSURE AGAIN STARTED TO DROP AND THE ENGINE SHOWED SIGNS OF FUEL STARVATION. THE ELECTRICAL PRIMER WAS USED TO REGAIN PARTIAL POWER BUT EVENTUALLY, THE ENGINE STARVED FOR FUEL AND STOPPED. AN EMERGENCY LANDING WAS INITIATED; HOWEVER, AFTER TOUCH DOWN THE AIRCRAFT BEGAN TO DRIFT INTO SOME TELEPHONE POLES. THE PILOT SELECTED FULL POWER AND THE ENGINE RESPONDED; HOWEVER, SHORTLY THEREAFTER AGAIN STARVED FOR FUEL. THE EMERGENCY LANDING WAS CONTINUED AND UPON TOUCH DOWN, THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED A FENCE WITH A SUBSEQUENT COLLAPSE OF THE LANDING GEAR. THE AIRCRAFT CAME TO REST INVERTED BUT WAS TURNED OVER SHORTLY THEREAFTER. AN ON SITE INVESTIGATION REVEALED A TOTAL OF ABOUT 13 GALLONS OF FUEL WAS AVAILABLE IN THE TWO FUEL TANKS.

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 WPR12LA182Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportCedarville, CAA loss of engine power during cruise flight due to air in the fuel system. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s incorrect maintenance that did not properly secure the fuel lines.Apr 22, 2012 · Substantial damage