# NTSB CEN14LA526: Preiss Vans RV-9A, N259H, Hobart, OK, September 29, 2014 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: September 29, 2014, 15:10 local (21:10 UTC) - Place: Hobart, OK - Coordinates: 35.019527, -99.089126 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=35.0195&lon=-99.0891&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Enroute-descent: Loss of engine power (total)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341) - Highest injury: Serious injuries - Injuries: 1 serious, 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report June 1, 2015 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Central Region - NTSB case key (mKey): 90180 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN14LA526 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/90180/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=90180 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN14LA526 ## Probable cause A loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion, which resulted from the pilot's erroneous preflight fuel calculations and inadequate in-flight fuel management. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Planning/preparation: fuel planning](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02061030): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Preiss Heinrich K VANS RV-9A, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02061030/cases.md?model=05614SR), [All aircraft, 719 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02061030/cases.md) - [Fluids: fuel](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071010): Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware · Fluid management (probable cause); cases with it: [Preiss Heinrich K VANS RV-9A, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071010/cases.md?model=05614SR), [All aircraft, 1,695 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071010/cases.md) - [Fluids: fuel](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071010): Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware · Fluid level (probable cause); cases with it: [Preiss Heinrich K VANS RV-9A, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071010/cases.md?model=05614SR), [All aircraft, 1,695 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071010/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Enroute-descent: Loss of engine power (total)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341) (defining event); cases with it: [Preiss Heinrich K VANS RV-9A, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341/sequence.md?model=05614SR), [All aircraft, 3,820 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341/sequence.md) - [Emergency descent: Off-field or emergency landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440); cases with it: [Preiss Heinrich K VANS RV-9A, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440/sequence.md?model=05614SR), [All aircraft, 3,365 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440/sequence.md) - [Landing-landing roll: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [Preiss Heinrich K VANS RV-9A, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md?model=05614SR), [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md) ## Analysis The pilot reported that, during his preflight calculations, he estimated that sufficient fuel was onboard the airplane to fly it to his intended destination with a 30-minute reserve. About 10 minutes from the destination airport, the fuel in the left tank was depleted, so the pilot switched to the right tank; the fuel monitor indicated that 5 gallons of fuel were remaining in the right tank. The pilot reported that, with an estimated fuel consumption rate of 6 gallons per hour, he was confident that he would reach the destination airport with fuel to spare. About 5 minutes from the airport, the fuel monitor indicated that 3 gallons of fuel were remaining in the right tank. Shortly thereafter and 2 miles east of the destination, the engine lost power. The pilot made a forced landing in a field and allowed the airplane to land hard to avoid an incipient stall. After the accident, the pilot reported that the airplane had run out of fuel. Examination of the airplane revealed that the fuel tanks were empty. ## Factual narrative On September 29, 2014, at 1510 central daylight time, an experimental-homebuilt Preiss Vans RV-9A, N259H, was substantially damaged during a forced landing after the engine lost power 2 miles east of Hobart Regional Airport (HBR), Hobart, Oklahoma. The pilot was not injured but his passenger was seriously injured. The airplane was registered to and operated by Mexico Medical Missions, Glenwood Springs, Colorado, under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident, and no flight plan had been filed. The flight originated from Grove Municipal Airport (GMJ), Grove, Oklahoma, about 1315, and was en route to HBR.According to the pilot's accident report and what he told a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector, he estimated in his preflight calculations that he had sufficient fuel to fly from Grove to HBR with a 30 minute reserve. He stated that he switched tanks every 30 minutes. Approaching his destination, the Global Positioning System (GPS) indicated the estimated time of arrival (ETA) to be 10 minutes, and the fuel monitor indicated 39 minutes remaining. This corresponded to the pilot's preflight calculations. After depleting the fuel in the left tank, the pilot switched to the right tank, which indicated 5 gallons remaining. With a fuel consumption rate of 6 gallons per hour, the pilot stated he was confident he would arrive with fuel to spare. At an ETA of 5 minutes, the fuel monitor indicated 3 gallons of fuel remaining in the right tank. Shortly thereafter and two miles east of HBR, the engine lost power. The pilot made a forced landing in a field. To avoid an incipient stall, the pilot allowed the airplane to land hard. Post-accident inspection revealed the nose landing gear was crushed, the main landing gear was bent, and the fuselage was buckled. The pilot later told the FAA inspector that he had run out of fuel. Examination of the airplane by the FAA inspector revealed no fuel in the fuel tanks. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N259H](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N259H-2018-03-21), registration cancelled 2018-03-21, S/N 90466, built 2002 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: PREISS VANS RV-9A - Registry model: [Preiss Heinrich K VANS RV-9A](https://openairdocs.org/model/preiss-heinrich-k-vans-rv-9a) (registry code 05614SR) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Subaru ALL MDLS A/B](https://openairdocs.org/engine/subaru-all-mdls-a-b) (registry code 59050, 4 cycle) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane, amateur-built - Serial number: 90466 - Year built: 2002 - Airframe hours: 264 - Engines: Lycoming O-320-E2A 150 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Operator: Robert T. Hudson II - Registered owner: Mexico Medical Missions - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special) - Last inspection: Annual, June 6, 2014, 38 hours before - Departed: KGMJ, Grove, OK - Destination: KHBR, Hobart, OK - Airport: KHBR, Hobart Regional - Equipment: Electronic primary flight display, Auto-pilot ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 59; injuries: none; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3, without waivers/limitations; seat: left; restraint: 4-point; flight hours: 450 total, 56 in this make and model, 404 as pilot in command, 33 in the last 90 days, 8 in the last 30 days, 2 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 160° at 8 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 82 °F, dew point 55 °F - Altimeter: 30.02 inHg - Observed at: KHBR, 2 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 20140929018059A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20140929018059A), Sep 29, 2014: Preiss Heinrich K VANS RV-9A, Hobart, OK, Substantial damage. Pilot ran out of fuel while enroute to Hobart, OK and crashed in a field 2 mile NE of the airport. ## Docket (3 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on April 27, 2015, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=90180. 2.3 MB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 1.6 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40425642&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Redacted.PDF - Pilot's Report (item 2, .PDF, 737 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40425646&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%27s%20Report-Redacted.PDF - Record of Conversation - FAA Inspector (item 3, .PDF, 50 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40425644&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Record%20of%20Conversation%20-%20FAA%20Inspector-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.