# NTSB ATL05CA037: Stanley, Davey L Pulsar III, N6133U, Ocean Isle Beac, NC, January 4, 2005 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report - Date: January 4, 2005, 13:30 local (18:30 UTC) - Place: Ocean Isle Beac, NC - Coordinates: 33.914165, -78.438888 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=33.9142&lon=-78.4389&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Emergency descent](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/600) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report March 30, 2005 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: Greensboro FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 60822 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ATL05CA037 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/60822/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ATL05CA037 ## Probable cause The pilot's inadequate preflight planning of fuel required for the flight that resulted in fuel exhaustion and the subsequent loss of engine power. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of engine power(total) - nonmechanical, emergency descent/landing - preflight planning/preparation - inadequate, pilot in command (cause) - fluid,fuel - exhaustion (cause) - Forced landing, descent - emergency - In flight collision with terrain/water, descent - emergency - terrain condition - swampy ## Analysis According to the pilot on the day of the accident, prior to takeoff, he had added about two to two and one-half gallons of fuel to the left wing tank. He stated that he did not check the fuel quantity in either tank when he added the fuel, and believed that the right tank had about eight gallons remaining from his last flight. He stated that about 15-minutes after takeoff he experienced engine failure. He said that his altitude was about 800 feet mean sea level. He stated that he elected to do a forced landing in a marsh rather than attempt to stretch the glide toward the airport which was about two miles away. Examination of the fuel tanks found about two gallons of unusable fuel in each tank. The pilot stated that the accident could have been avoided if he had visually inspected the fuel tanks prior to takeoff. ## Factual narrative On January 4, 2005, at 1330 eastern standard time, an experimental homebuilt Pulsar III, N6133U, registered to and operated by the commercial pilot, collided with the ground in a marshy area shortly after takeoff from the Ocean Isle Airport in Ocean Isle, North Carolina. The flight was operated under the provisions of Title 14 CFR Part 91, and visual flight rules. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed for the local flight. The pilot was not injured and the airplane sustained substantial damage. The flight originated from Ocean Isle Airport in Ocean Isle, North Carolina at 1315, on January 4, 2005. According to the pilot on the day of the accident, prior to takeoff, he had added about two to two and one-half gallons of fuel to the left wing tank. He stated that he did not check the fuel quantity in either tank when he added the fuel, and believed that the right tank had about eight gallons remaining from his last flight. He stated that about 15-minutes after takeoff he experienced engine failure. He said that his altitude was about 800 feet mean sea level. He stated that he elected to do a forced landing in a marshy area rather than attempt to stretch the glide toward the airport which was about two miles away. Examination of the wreckage found the main landing gear intact but separated from the airframe, and the empennage broken between the vertical stabilizer and the cockpit. Examination of the fuel tanks found about two gallons of unusable fuel in each tank. The pilot stated that the accident could have been avoided if he had visually inspected the fuel tanks prior to takeoff. Additionally, according to the pilot, several other aircraft at the airport had discovered that their fuel had been stolen the night before the accident. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N6133U](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N6133U-2006-05-11), registration cancelled 2006-05-11, S/N P9703-0523 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Stanley, Davey L Pulsar III - Registry model: [Stanley Davey L PULSAR SERIES 3](https://openairdocs.org/model/stanley-davey-l-pulsar-series-3) (registry code 056067W) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane, amateur-built - Serial number: P9703-0523 - Airframe hours: 158 - Engines: Rotax 912S 100 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: Davey Lee Stanley - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special) - Last inspection: Annual, July 28, 2004, 6.5 hours before - Departed: 60J, Ocean Isle Beac, NC - Destination: 60J, Ocean Isle Beac, NC - Airport: 60J, Ocean Isle Airport ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 74; injuries: none; commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 3, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; last flight review December 7, 2004; seat: left; flight hours: 5,500 total, 158 in this make and model, 5,000 as pilot in command, 6 in the last 90 days, 3 in the last 30 days, 1 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 220° at 7 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 25,000 ft broken - Temperature: 57 °F, dew point 54 °F - Altimeter: 30.28 inHg - Observed at: RDU, 20 nm away ## 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 20050104000599A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20050104000599A), Jan 4, 2005: Amtr PULSARSERIE3, Shallotte, NC, Substantial damage. (-23) Pilot departed airport for a flight in the local area. Approximately 15-20 minutes into the flight the engine stopped running. The pilot was at… 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.