20190817014089A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Giger Frank R NIEUPORT II · Talladega, AL · August 17, 2019

Date: August 17, 2019 · 12:42 local
Place: Talladega, AL
Phase of flight: Cruise/Level Flight
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N112GV
NTSB investigation: NTSBERA19TA254
Reported as: Giger Frank R Nieuport II
Reported engine: Volkswagen CONVERSION
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 1
Pilot’s certificate: Sport pilot
Pilot’s flight hours: 134 total61 in this make and model11 in the last 90 days

N112GVRegistered now · Giger Frank R NIEUPORT IIS/N 143 · Built 2016 Airframe modelGiger Frank R NIEUPORT II Engine modelVolkswagen CONVERSIONReciprocating

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.

While enroute to Talladega from bessemer the pilot noticed that the fuel was down to just below four gallons, and began to divert towards st. clair (kplr), he had only been in the air for forty minutes. A minute later he glanced down to see the fuel was at the bottom of the sight gauge and the engine stopped.

The pilot of N112GV decided to land on top of the trees along side of a road because of the heavy traffic in the area. The aircraft impacted the ground and substained substanial damage.

Further investigation found that the fuel line to the sump drain between the rudder pedals had been broken off allowing the fuel to drain out.

As the FAA filed it

WHILE ENROUTE TO TALLADEGA FROM BESSEMER THE PILOT NOTICED THAT THE FUEL WAS DOWN TO JUST BELOW FOUR GALLONS, AND BEGAN TO DIVERT TOWARDS ST. CLAIR (KPLR), HE HAD ONLY BEEN IN THE AIR FOR FORTY MINUTES. A MINUTE LATER HE GLANCED DOWN TO SEE THE FUEL WAS AT THE BOTTOM OF THE SIGHT GAUGE AND THE ENGINE STOPPED.

THE PILOT OF N112GV DECIDED TO LAND ON TOP OF THE TREES ALONG SIDE OF A ROAD BECAUSE OF THE HEAVY TRAFFIC IN THE AREA. THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED THE GROUND AND SUBSTAINED SUBSTANIAL DAMAGE.

FURTHER INVESTIGATION FOUND THAT THE FUEL LINE TO THE SUMP DRAIN BETWEEN THE RUDDER PEDALS HAD BEEN BROKEN OFF ALLOWING THE FUEL TO DRAIN OUT.

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 ERA19TA254Accident · Minor injuriesClass 3Final reportTalladega, ALA total loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion after the pilot inadvertently kicked a fuel line during turbulence, which resulted in a forced landing into trees.Aug 17, 2019 · Substantial damage