# NTSB CEN12LA371: Amen Star Lite, N319NP, San Antonio, TX, June 9, 2012 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: June 9, 2012, 12:15 local (17:15 UTC) - Place: San Antonio, TX - Coordinates: 29.510278, -98.798332 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=29.5103&lon=-98.7983&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Takeoff](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/300) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Takeoff: Loss of engine power (partial)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/342) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report June 12, 2013 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Central Region - Parties: FAA-FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 83980 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN12LA371 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/83980/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=83980 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN12LA371 ## Probable cause The separation of the fuel tank sealant coating, which traveled into the fuel pump, blocked the fuel flow, and resulted in fuel starvation to the engine. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Fuel system: fuel storage](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01022810): Aircraft › Aircraft systems · Damaged/degraded (probable cause); cases with it: [Amen Nelson P STAR LITE, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01022810/cases.md?model=056031T), [All aircraft, 60 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01022810/cases.md) - [Fluids: fuel](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071010): Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware · Not specified (probable cause); cases with it: [Amen Nelson P STAR LITE, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071010/cases.md?model=056031T), [All aircraft, 1,695 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071010/cases.md) - [Engine fuel and control: fuel pump](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01057314): Aircraft › Aircraft power plant · Not specified; cases with it: [Amen Nelson P STAR LITE, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01057314/cases.md?model=056031T), [All aircraft, 34 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01057314/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Takeoff: Loss of engine power (partial)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/342) (defining event); cases with it: [Amen Nelson P STAR LITE, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/342/sequence.md?model=056031T), [All aircraft, 1,858 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/342/sequence.md) - [Landing-flare/touchdown: Hard landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092); cases with it: [Amen Nelson P STAR LITE, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092/sequence.md?model=056031T), [All aircraft, 2,102 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092/sequence.md) ## Analysis The pilot reported that the airplane’s engine operated normally during the engine run-up and takeoff ground run. However, after takeoff, at an altitude of about 150 feet above ground level, the engine lost power. The pilot turned the airplane back toward the airport in an attempt to reach the runway. A hard landing was made in the grass alongside the runway. The landing gear collapsed, and the airplane continued to slide onto the runway before coming to rest. The airplane’s wings and fuselage were substantially damaged. A postaccident examination revealed that pieces of a sealant coating that was applied to the inside of the fuel tank had dislodged. The pilot believed that the coating dislodged because the coating in that area (the curvature where the side and bottom of the fuel tank meet) had not properly cured after he applied it 6 years before the accident. Pieces of this coating were found inside the fuel pump, which likely prevented fuel flow to the engine. ## Factual narrative On June 9, 2012, at 1215 central daylight time, an amateur-built Amen Star Lite, N319NP, experienced a hard forced landing following a loss of engine power shortly after takeoff from the San Geronimo Airpark (8T8), San Antonio, Texas. The pilot was not injured. The airplane was substantially damaged. The 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight was operating in visual meteorological conditions without a flight plan. The local flight originated just prior to the accident. The pilot reported the engine operated normally during the engine run-up and takeoff ground run. After takeoff, at an altitude of about 150 feet above ground level, the engine lost power. The pilot lowered the nose of the airplane and used the fuel primer which resulted in several “short bursts” of power. The pilot turned the airplane back toward the airport in an attempt to reach the runway. A hard landing was made in the grass alongside the runway. The pilot stated the landing gear absorbed most of the impact forces and the main gear departed the airplane. The airplane continued to slide 20 feet on the grass then it continued onto the runway where it slid another 300 feet prior to coming to a stop. The airplane received substantial damage to the wings and fuselage. A postaccident examination of the airplane and engine was conducted during which pieces of a foreign material were found inside the fuel pump. The material was yellow in color. There was also a stain on the fuel filter which matched the color of the material found inside the fuel pump. Examination of the fuel tank revealed that a 3/4 inch area of a coating that was applied to the inside of the fuel tank was missing in an area where the side of the tank met the bottom of the tank. This coating appeared to match the color of the material found inside the fuel pump. The airplane had a dark (black/brown) coating applied inside the fuel tank when it was built in 2004. The kit manufacturer determined that there was a problem with the fuel softening this coating and recommended that the aircraft owners apply a different type of coating, which was yellow, to the inside of the fuel tank. The aircraft owner, who was also the pilot, reported that he applied this new coating to the fuel tank approximately 6 years before the accident. He believed that the dislodged sealant coating occurred because he did not ensure that the coating was properly cured in the curvature where the side and bottom of the tank meet. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N319NP](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N319NP-2018-04-24), registration cancelled 2018-04-24, S/N 1, built 2004 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: AMEN STAR LITE - Registry model: [Amen Nelson P STAR LITE](https://openairdocs.org/model/amen-nelson-p-star-lite) (registry code 056031T) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Rotax SEE BOMBADIER](https://openairdocs.org/engine/rotax-see-bombadier) (registry code 55555, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane, amateur-built - Serial number: 1 - Airframe hours: 155 - Engines: ROTAX 447 40 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Operator: Amen Nelson P - Registered owner: Amen Nelson P - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special) - Last inspection: Annual, September 26, 2011, 17 hours before - Departed: 8T8, San Antonio, TX - Destination: 8T8, San Antonio, TX - Airport: 8T8, San Geronimo Airpark, runway 35, 3,000 × 40 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 57; injuries: none; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3, with waivers/limitations; last flight review January 27, 2012; seat: single; flight hours: 558 total, 155 in this make and model, 510 as pilot in command, 4 in the last 90 days, 3 in the last 30 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: calm - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 82 °F, dew point 68 °F - Altimeter: 29.86 inHg - Observed at: SKF, 16 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 20120609011869A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20120609011869A), Jun 9, 2012: Amen Nelson P STAR LITE, San Antonio, TX, Substantial damage. Aircraft lost power on the take off climb. Pilot attempted to turn back to the airport field, aircraft made a hard landing off the runway tearing the main… ## Docket (3 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on April 16, 2013, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=83980. 749 KB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 600 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40390217&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Redacted.PDF - Email from FAA Inspector (item 2, .PDF, 86 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40390101&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Email%20from%20FAA%20Inspector-Redacted.PDF - Record of Conversation (item 3, .PDF, 63 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40390184&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Record%20of%20Conversation-Master.PDF 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.