20150815013839A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Burton Dennis W SONEX · Wolcottville, IN · August 15, 2015

Date: August 15, 2015 · 20:30 local
Place: Wolcottville, IN
Phase of flight: Cruise/Level Flight
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N683DB
NTSB investigation: NTSBGAA15CA234
Reported as: Burton Dennis W Sonex
Reported engine: JABIRU 3300
People aboard: 2
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 1
Pilot’s certificate: Private pilot
Pilot’s flight hours: 900 total32 in this make and model35 in the last 90 days

N683DBRegistered now · Burton Dennis W SONEXS/N 0691 Airframe modelBurton Dennis W SONEX Engine modelJabiru 33004 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.

The experimental aircraft departed kendallville (C62) on August 18, 2015 around 8:00PM with 2 occupants on board, 1 pilot, 1 passenger. The pilot stated he was returning to kendallville after flying over his personal residence when the aircraft suddenly lost power at approximately 2,000 ft. AGL. The pilot landed the aircraft in a soybean field near Wolcottville in. The aircraft ground looped after touchdown and came to rest inverted. Both occupants were trapped on board. The passenger was taken to the hospital (minor injuries) and released the next day. The pilot was treated and released at the scene. An on-site investigation on 8/17/15 revealed no abnormalities with engine or internal engine failure. The aircraft fuel tank was empty and with no fuel available at the sump. The pilot confirmed on-site that there was no fuel remaining in the tank. The aircraft was substantially damaged.

As the FAA filed it

THE EXPERIMENTAL AIRCRAFT DEPARTED KENDALLVILLE (C62) ON AUGUST 18, 2015 AROUND 8:00PM WITH 2 OCCUPANTS ON BOARD, 1 PILOT, 1 PASSENGER. THE PILOT STATED HE WAS RETURNING TO KENDALLVILLE AFTER FLYING OVER HIS PERSONAL RESIDENCE WHEN THE AIRCRAFT SUDDENLY LOST POWER AT APPROXIMATELY 2,000 FT. AGL. THE PILOT LANDED THE AIRCRAFT IN A SOYBEAN FIELD NEAR WOLCOTTVILLE IN. THE AIRCRAFT GROUND LOOPED AFTER TOUCHDOWN AND CAME TO REST INVERTED. BOTH OCCUPANTS WERE TRAPPED ON BOARD. THE PASSENGER WAS TAKEN TO THE HOSPITAL (MINOR INJURIES) AND RELEASED THE NEXT DAY. THE PILOT WAS TREATED AND RELEASED AT THE SCENE. AN ON-SITE INVESTIGATION ON 8/17/15 REVEALED NO ABNORMALITIES WITH ENGINE OR INTERNAL ENGINE FAILURE. THE AIRCRAFT FUEL TANK WAS EMPTY AND WITH NO FUEL AVAILABLE AT THE SUMP. THE PILOT CONFIRMED ON-SITE THAT THERE WAS NO FUEL REMAINING IN THE TANK. 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 GAA15CA234Accident · Minor injuriesData collectionFinal reportWolcottville, INThe pilot's improper fuel planning, which resulted in fuel exhaustion, a forced off-airport landing, and nose over.Aug 16, 2015 · Substantial damage

Other reports on N683DB · 1

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

Incident 20150506006919ITakeoff: Climb Out · Kendallville, INOn 05/06/2015 a pilot operating a sonic, experimental type aircraft made an emergency landing immediately after take off because of a bird strike. Pilot stated " I veered left and landed on a farm field next to the airport. Upon touchdown the plane nosed…May 6, 2015 · Minor damage