# Incident 20200811014259I: Pekola James W JUST A/C LLC ESCAPAD, Kelso, WA, August 11, 2020

- Type: FAA incident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: August 11, 2020, 13:15 local time
- Place: Kelso, WA
- Airport: Kelso-Longview
- Damage: Minor damage
- Phase of flight: Cruise/Level Flight
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 46.1168° N, 122.8865° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Kelso, WA, within about 6 miles (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=46.1168&lon=-122.8865&mi=10
- Aircraft: N239ZT, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N239ZT) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Pekola James W JUST A/C LLC ESCAPAD (registry code 05629SI, https://openairdocs.org/model/pekola-james-w-just-a-c-llc-escapad) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Rotax 912ULS series (registry code 55572, https://openairdocs.org/engine/rotax-912uls-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PEKOLA JAMES W JUST A/C LLC ESCAPAD
- Reported engine: ROTAX 912ULS SERIES
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Private pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 2,582 total, 459 in this make and model, 47 in the last 90 days
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20200811014259I

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

AS STATED BY THE PILOT, HE HAD CALCULATED THE FUEL BURN AT FOUR GPH FOR AN APPROXIMATE 6-HOUR ROUND TRIP FLIGHT FROM RESIDENCE TO REDS WALLOWA HORSE RANCH AIRPORT (6OR9) AND RETURNING TO RESIDENCE. FUELED THE AIRCRAFT WITH APPROXIMATELY 36 GALLONS OF FUEL WHICH CALCULATED AT 9 HOUR FLIGHT AT ORIGINAL DEPARTURE LOCATION. THE FIRST FLIGHT TOOK 3.16 HOURS ON THE AIRCRAFT HOBBS METER WITH ONE STOP. UPON DEPARTURE FROM 6OR9 FOR THE RETURN TRIP, THE PILOT NOTED THE SIGHT GAGE ON THE FUEL TANKS SHOWED APPROXIMATELY HALF-FULL. THE PILOT STATED THERE WERE HEADWIND THE ENTIRE ROUND TRIP AND HAD OPERATED AT A HIGHER RPM TO MAKE HEADWAY. ON THE RETURN LEGS, THE PILOT WAS PLANNING ON TWO STOPS BEFORE REACHING DESTINATION. PILOT DID NOT STICK TANKS TO VERIFY FUEL QUANTITY AT FIRST STOP IN HERMISTON OR AT SECOND STOP AT DAYBREAK AIRPORT NEAR LA CENTER WASHINGTON. JUST PRIOR TO THE ENGINE STOPPING, THE PILOT NOTICED THE RIGHT SIGHT GAGE HAD NO FUEL IN IT AND THE LEFT ONLY HAD A COUPLE OF INCHES. WHEN THE ENGINE QUIT AT APPROXIMATELY ONE MILE SOUTH OF KELSO, WASHINGTON AIRPORT (KKLS) AT 2600 FEET.  THE HEADWINDS PREVENTED THE AIRCRAFT FROM LANDING AT KKLS SO THE PILOT DECIDED TO LAND IN AN OPEN SAND FIELD. UPON LANDING THE AIRCRAFT SKIDDED IN THE SOFT SAND FOR ABOUT 25 FEET BEFORE DIGGING INTO THE SAND, COLLAPSING, AND BENDING THE LEFT LANDING GEAR LEG.

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft 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. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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