# NTSB ANC03LA033: Hughes Stol King, N1243W, Seldovia, AK, March 23, 2003 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: March 23, 2003, 13:00 local (17:00 UTC) - Place: Seldovia, AK - Coordinates: 59.433334, -151.699996 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=59.4333&lon=-151.7000&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Initial climb](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/350) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: Serious injuries - Injuries: 1 serious - Status: Completed, report November 25, 2003 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Alaska Regional Office - Parties: FAA, Anchorage FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 56676 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ANC03LA033 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/56676/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC03LA033 ## Probable cause The loss of engine power during initial climb for an undetermined reason, which resulted in a hard landing. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of engine power, takeoff - initial climb - reason for occurrence undetermined (cause) - Forced landing, descent - emergency - Hard landing, emergency landing after takeoff - airport facilities,runway/landing area condition - runway ## Analysis The pilot of the homebuilt experimental airplane reported that soon after takeoff, the airplane's engine lost all power. He estimated he was about 150 feet above the runway, and elected to make an emergency landing on the remaining gravel runway. He said the airplane landed hard, and sustained substantial damage to the fuselage and wings. Discussions with the owner/builder of the airplane and the pilot disclosed they believed the engine may have lost power due to fuel starvation related to siphoning of fuel from the forward tanks to the rear tanks, or possibly inadequate fuel tank venting. The pilot also noted that carburetor icing conditions were prevalent the day of the accident, and although he used carburetor heat prior to takeoff, carburetor ice may have been a factor. Due to the remote location of the wreckage, the airplane was not inspected by NTSB or FAA personnel. ## Factual narrative On March 23, 2003, about 1300 Alaska standard time, a tailwheel-equipped experimental homebuilt Hughes STOL King airplane, N1243W, sustained substantial damage when it landed hard following a loss of engine power on takeoff from the Seldovia Airport, Seldovia, Alaska. The airplane was being operated as a local visual flight rules personal flight under Title 14, CFR Part 91, when the accident occurred. The solo commercial pilot sustained serious injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed. During a telephone conversation with a National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigator on March 24, the pilot reported that after takeoff from runway 34, about 150 feet above the runway, the airplane's engine lost all power. He said that as the airplane neared the end of the runway, he pushed the nose down to land on the remaining runway, but the airplane was slow to flare due to the low airspeed, and landed hard, receiving substantial damage to the fuselage and both wings. The NTSB investigator-in-charge (IIC) contacted the owner/builder of the accident airplane on March 26. The owner said he believed the loss of engine power may have been attributable to fuel starvation. He said the fuel system consists of 4 wing-mounted fuel tanks, and that due to the extreme angle the airplane sits at while resting on its landing gear, the fuel may have siphoned out of the two forward tanks into the rear tanks. He also said that all four tanks feed into a single fuel line, and that regardless of the siphoning, he thought the engine should still have had sufficient fuel in the rear tanks. He said he would provide additional information after a thorough inspection of the airplane. The IIC telephoned him again on May 3, but he was unavailable, and did not return the call. The pilot of the airplane was contacted via telephone by the IIC on July 29. He related that he believes the loss of engine power was fuel related. He said that because of the type of venting of the fuel caps, when the airplane became airborne, the flow of air over the top of the wing, and the resultant negative pressure, would not allow the fuel to flow adequately to sustain engine power. He said that the siphoning of gas from the front tanks to the rear tanks probably added to the fuel flow issue. He also noted that carburetor icing conditions were prevalent that day, and although he used carburetor heat prior to departure, the formation of carburetor ice, combined with the reduced fuel flow, may have caused the loss of engine power. Due to the remote location of the wreckage, the airplane was not inspected by NTSB or FAA personnel. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N1243W](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N1243W), registered now, S/N 001, built 2001 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Hughes STOL King - Registry model: [Hughes Phillip A STOL KING](https://openairdocs.org/model/hughes-phillip-a-stol-king) (registry code 05607FF) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Continental 0-200 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-0-200-series) (registry code 17020, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane, amateur-built - Serial number: 001 - Engines: Continental O-200A 100 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: Phillip A. Hughes - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special) - Last inspection: Annual, March 15, 2003, 1 hours before - Departed: SOV, Seldovia, AK - Destination: SOV - Airport: SOV, Seldovia, runway 34, 1,845 × 60 ft, gravel ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 44; injuries: serious; commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine sea, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; last flight review September 20, 2002; seat: front; flight hours: 2,214 total, 4 in this make and model, 2,160 as pilot in command, 5 in the last 90 days, 5 in the last 30 days, 3 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 20° at 8 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 28 °F, dew point 16 °F - Altimeter: 29.62 inHg - Observed at: paso ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20030323004559A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20030323004559A), Mar 23, 2003: Amtr STOLKING, Seldovia, AK, Substantial damage. (-23) On March 23, 2003, about 1300 Alaska daylight time, a wheel-equipped experimental homebuilt, Hughes stol ling airplane, N1243W, sustained substantial… From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.