20120930021249A

Accident · Destroyed

FAA accident report · Keuthan BUCCANEER II · Granite Quarry, NC · September 30, 2012

Date: September 30, 2012 · 17:55 local
Place: Granite Quarry, NC
Phase of flight: Descent
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Destroyed
Aircraft: N710WP
NTSB investigation: NTSBERA12LA584
Reported as: Keuthan Buccaneer II
Reported engine: ROTAX 582DCDI
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 1
Other injuries: 0
Pilot’s certificate: Private pilot

N710WPRegistered now · Keuthan BUCCANEER IIS/N 001 Airframe modelKeuthan BUCCANEER II Engine modelRotax 582DCDI2 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.

On September 30, 2012 at approximately 1755 EST. Experimental ultra-light aircraft, N710WP, experienced a forced landing in Granite Quarry, north carolina. The pilot (sole occupant) and aircraft were approximately 4.5 miles away from rowan county airport, his base of operation. The aircraft wreckage was primarily in one location; at the edge of a field approximately 20 yards from overhead power lines. Upon inspection, the aircraft's main fuel tank was observed as intact and containing minimal fuel. Air bubbles were observed through the transparent fuel hoses. No fuel sample was available for collection from the main feed hose to the engine carburetors. During the investigation, it was observed that the propeller blades / tips showed no signs of curling. The aircraft made contact with overhead power lines as evidence of arcing was present on the left wing leading edge. The pilot in command was fatally injured as a result of the aircraft accident.

As the FAA filed it

ON SEPTEMBER 30, 2012 AT APPROXIMATELY 1755 EST. EXPERIMENTAL ULTRA-LIGHT AIRCRAFT, N710WP, EXPERIENCED A FORCED LANDING IN GRANITE QUARRY, NORTH CAROLINA. THE PILOT (SOLE OCCUPANT) AND AIRCRAFT WERE APPROXIMATELY 4.5 MILES AWAY FROM ROWAN COUNTY AIRPORT, HIS BASE OF OPERATION. THE AIRCRAFT WRECKAGE WAS PRIMARILY IN ONE LOCATION; AT THE EDGE OF A FIELD APPROXIMATELY 20 YARDS FROM OVERHEAD POWER LINES. UPON INSPECTION, THE AIRCRAFT'S MAIN FUEL TANK WAS OBSERVED AS INTACT AND CONTAINING MINIMAL FUEL. AIR BUBBLES WERE OBSERVED THROUGH THE TRANSPARENT FUEL HOSES. NO FUEL SAMPLE WAS AVAILABLE FOR COLLECTION FROM THE MAIN FEED HOSE TO THE ENGINE CARBURETORS. DURING THE INVESTIGATION, IT WAS OBSERVED THAT THE PROPELLER BLADES / TIPS SHOWED NO SIGNS OF CURLING. THE AIRCRAFT MADE CONTACT WITH OVERHEAD POWER LINES AS EVIDENCE OF ARCING WAS PRESENT ON THE LEFT WING LEADING EDGE. THE PILOT IN COMMAND WAS FATALLY INJURED AS A RESULT OF THE AIRCRAFT ACCIDENT.

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 ERA12LA584Accident · 1 fatalLimited investigationFinal reportGranite Quarry, NCThe pilot’s inadequate preflight fuel planning, which resulted in a total loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion.Sep 30, 2012 · Substantial damage