- Date
- July 31, 2009, 10:45 local (16:45 UTC)
- Place
- Demming, NM
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N613LEBoring Robert Burton RV6A
- Defining event
- Approach-VFR go-around: Fuel starvation
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report September 30, 2009
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Central Region
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20090731015019A
- Case key
- 74410
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 loss of engine power due to fuel starvation as a result of the pilot's failure to manage and monitor fuel usage.
Findings · 4
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
While on final approach to land, the pilot initiated a go around due to a glider on the runway. When he added power the engine lost power, forcing the pilot to land short of the runway and impact the airport perimeter fence. A witness overheard the passenger say "they switched fuel tanks after the engine lost power, but it didn't do anything." Examination of the airplane revealed that the right fuel tank contained approximately one quart of fuel and the fuel selector was on the left tank. Investigators were able to confirm fuel flow from the left tank and no fuel flow from the right tank. Damage was confirmed to the engine firewall and wing spars.
Factual narrative
While on final approach to land, the pilot initiated a go around due to a glider on the runway. When he added power the engine quit, forcing the pilot to land short of the runway and impact the airport perimeter fence. A witness overheard the passenger say "they switched fuel tanks after the engine quit, but it didn't do anything." Examination of the airplane revealed the right fuel tank contained approximately one quart of fuel and the fuel selector was on the left tank. Investigators were able to confirm fuel flow from the left tank and no fuel flow from the right tank. Damage was confirmed to the engine firewall and wing spars.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N613LE
- Reported as
- Boring Robert Burton RV6A
- Category
- Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- 23993
- Airframe hours
- 318
- Engine
- Lycoming O-360 SERIES, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Van Lauwe David C
- Registered owner
- Van Lauwe David C
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection
- Condition · February 21, 2009
- Departed
- LRU · Las Cruces, NM
- Destination
- DMN · Demming, NM
- Airport
- DMN · Demming Municipal AIrport, runway 08, 6,627 × 25 ft, asphalt
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
- 62
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- December 19, 2007
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 239 total · 169 in this make and model · 3 in the last 90 days · 1 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 130° at 9 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 90 °F, dew point 50 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.20 inHg
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on August 5, 2009, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 754 KB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.
Other investigations on N613LE · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.