- Date
- June 5, 1995, 15:30 local (19:30 UTC)
- Place
- Winchester, VA
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N6783Devaughn Teenie II
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report October 19, 1995
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19950605049279A
- Case key
- 9048
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
the pilot's failure to properly judge the airplane fuel supply. The resultant loss of engine power occurred over unsuitable terrain, which was a contributing factor.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
The pilot reported that while in cruise flight, the airplane's engine lost total power due to fuel exhaustion. The pilot reported that this was his second flight in the airplane. He said that he misjudged the fuel quantity.
Factual narrative
On June 5, 1995, about 1530 eastern daylight time, a Devaughn Teenie II, N6783, an experimental, homebuilt airplane lost total engine power while in cruise flight. The airplane impacted trees during the emergency descent. The pilot received minor injuries. The airplane was destroyed. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed. The local flight departed Timber Ridge Airpark near Winchester, Virginia, and was conducted under 14 CFR Part 91.
The pilot reported that this was his second flight in the airplane. He reported, "Gas gauge on plane is a float [and] wire in the gas tank. Underestimated amount of fuel. Engine quit [and] with only 18' wing span had very little glide [and] was forced to land in trees."
The pilot stated that the airplane impacted trees and the fuselage came to rest in the trees upside down. He stated the airplane's wings were torn away from the fuselage during the descent through the trees.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N6783
- Reported as
- Devaughn Teenie II
- Category
- Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- 5-10367
- Airframe hours
- 2
- Engine
- Volkswagen 1500CC, 60 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Samuel Adams
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection
- Continuous airworthiness · June 3, 1995 · 2 hours before
- Departed
- VA46 · Timber Ridge, VA
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 51
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Center
- Flight hours
- 93 total · 3 in this make and model · 33 as pilot in command · 7 in the last 90 days · 5 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 70 °F
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.