20180418010549A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Wilhelm Ray PULSAR III · Salton Sea, CA · April 18, 2018

Date: April 18, 2018 · 09:58 local
Place: Salton Sea, CA
Phase of flight: Cruise/Level Flight
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N332RP
NTSB investigation: NTSBWPR18TA122
Reported as: Wilhelm Ray Pulsar III
Reported engine: Jabiru 300 33A18
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 1
Pilot’s certificate: Private pilot
Pilot’s flight hours: 884 total764 in this make and model11 in the last 90 days

N332RPRegistration cancelled Aug 17, 2021 · Wilhelm Ray PULSAR IIIS/N P9706-0529 · Built 1999 Airframe modelWilhelm Ray PULSAR III Engine modelAmateur-built UNKNOWN ENG

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.

Pilot stated that he was flying at 7800 ft AGL in the thermal (ktrm) area when the engine stopped. Pilot checked his fuel pressure and it showed 2.2 PSI. There was 13 gallons on board. Pilot tried to restart the engine, the engine start was erractic and it stopped again. After several attempts to start the engine, pilot decided to tried for the nearest airport, Salton Sea (ksas). The aircraft came to rest 1.5 miles short of the airport. Pilot made an emergency landing in rough desert terrain. No fuel leakage, substantial damage to aircraft and minor injury to pilot's hand. Upon examination of the aircraft wreckage, we found an empty left fuel tank, the right tank had about 13 gallons of fuel. We checked the fuel selector valve and discovered that the pilot had selected the left tank position, running the tank dry.

As the FAA filed it

PILOT STATED THAT HE WAS FLYING AT 7800 FT AGL IN THE THERMAL (KTRM) AREA WHEN THE ENGINE STOPPED. PILOT CHECKED HIS FUEL PRESSURE AND IT SHOWED 2.2 PSI. THERE WAS 13 GALLONS ON BOARD. PILOT TRIED TO RESTART THE ENGINE, THE ENGINE START WAS ERRACTIC AND IT STOPPED AGAIN. AFTER SEVERAL ATTEMPTS TO START THE ENGINE, PILOT DECIDED TO TRIED FOR THE NEAREST AIRPORT, SALTON SEA (KSAS). THE AIRCRAFT CAME TO REST 1.5 MILES SHORT OF THE AIRPORT. PILOT MADE AN EMERGENCY LANDING IN ROUGH DESERT TERRAIN. NO FUEL LEAKAGE, SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO AIRCRAFT AND MINOR INJURY TO PILOT'S HAND. UPON EXAMINATION OF THE AIRCRAFT WRECKAGE, WE FOUND AN EMPTY LEFT FUEL TANK, THE RIGHT TANK HAD ABOUT 13 GALLONS OF FUEL. WE CHECKED THE FUEL SELECTOR VALVE AND DISCOVERED THAT THE PILOT HAD SELECTED THE LEFT TANK POSITION, RUNNING THE TANK DRY.

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 WPR18TA122Accident · Minor injuriesClass 3Final reportSalton City, CAThe pilot's improper fuel management, which resulted in a total loss of engine power due to fuel starvation. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's failure to perform the loss of engine power emergency procedures, which likely would have restored engine…Apr 18, 2018 · Substantial damage

Other reports on N332RP · 1

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

Incident 19991214038479IRoll-Out (Fixed Wing) · Chino, CAAfter touch down aircraft rolled 300-400 feet when left fiberglass/composite landing gear leg broke off at junction to left axle assembly. Aircraft exited runway. No further damage noted.Dec 14, 1999 · Minor damage