What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On August 9, 2020, at 0800 PDT, a Page/Le Master, Vari-Eze single engine, experimental, amateur built airplane, N2ZE, was destroyed when it crashed in the mojave national preserve near kelso, CA.
The area was remote and out of cell phone coverage, and the pilot and passenger both walked from the crash site. After approximately 1 hour, they found someone in a truck who drove them to an area of cell phone coverage. They called their wife?s, who picked them up and drove them to the ridgecrest regional hospital in ridgecrest, CA.
The pilot sustained serious injury and the passenger sustained minor injury .the airplane was operated as a 14 CFR part 91 personal flight. The pilot stated he departed California city municipal airport (L71), California city, California, with 16 gallons of fuel on board. About one hour after the departure, the pilot experienced a loss of engine power. He switched the fuel selector from the wings to the center tank and the engine regained power for 30 seconds before it lost power. The pilot manipulated the fuel selector from center tank to wing tanks and back to center tank only to experience an additional 20 seconds of regained engine power. After three failed attempts to restart the engine, the pilot decided to execute an emergency landing inside a ravine.
As the FAA filed it
ON AUGUST 9, 2020, AT 0800 PDT, A PAGE/LE MASTER, VARI-EZE SINGLE ENGINE, EXPERIMENTAL, AMATEUR BUILT AIRPLANE, N2ZE, WAS DESTROYED WHEN IT CRASHED IN THE MOJAVE NATIONAL PRESERVE NEAR KELSO, CA.
THE AREA WAS REMOTE AND OUT OF CELL PHONE COVERAGE, AND THE PILOT AND PASSENGER BOTH WALKED FROM THE CRASH SITE. AFTER APPROXIMATELY 1 HOUR, THEY FOUND SOMEONE IN A TRUCK WHO DROVE THEM TO AN AREA OF CELL PHONE COVERAGE. THEY CALLED THEIR WIFE?S, WHO PICKED THEM UP AND DROVE THEM TO THE RIDGECREST REGIONAL HOSPITAL IN RIDGECREST, CA.
THE PILOT SUSTAINED SERIOUS INJURY AND THE PASSENGER SUSTAINED MINOR INJURY .THE AIRPLANE WAS OPERATED AS A 14 CFR PART 91 PERSONAL FLIGHT. THE PILOT STATED HE DEPARTED CALIFORNIA CITY MUNICIPAL AIRPORT (L71), CALIFORNIA CITY, CALIFORNIA, WITH 16 GALLONS OF FUEL ON BOARD. ABOUT ONE HOUR AFTER THE DEPARTURE, THE PILOT EXPERIENCED A LOSS OF ENGINE POWER. HE SWITCHED THE FUEL SELECTOR FROM THE WINGS TO THE CENTER TANK AND THE ENGINE REGAINED POWER FOR 30 SECONDS BEFORE IT LOST POWER. THE PILOT MANIPULATED THE FUEL SELECTOR FROM CENTER TANK TO WING TANKS AND BACK TO CENTER TANK ONLY TO EXPERIENCE AN ADDITIONAL 20 SECONDS OF REGAINED ENGINE POWER. AFTER THREE FAILED ATTEMPTS TO RESTART THE ENGINE, THE PILOT DECIDED TO EXECUTE AN EMERGENCY LANDING INSIDE A RAVINE.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.