# NTSB CEN22LA229: Fahey William J CH750 Cruzer, N415WF, San Antonio, TX, June 2, 2022 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report - Date: June 2, 2022, 14:11 local (19:11 UTC) - Place: San Antonio, TX - Coordinates: 29.507991, -98.799317 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=29.5080&lon=-98.7993&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Enroute: Loss of engine power (total)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed - Report: Approved by Office Director - Investigation class: Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish - NTSB office: Central Region - Parties: FAA - NTSB case key (mKey): 105191 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN22LA229 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/105191/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=105191 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN22LA229 ## Probable cause The loss of engine power due to fuel starvation. Contributing to the fuel starvation was a faulty experimental fuel gauge. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Fluids: fuel](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071010): Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware · Fluid level (probable cause); cases with it: [Fahey William J CH750 CRUZER, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071010/cases.md?model=0563923), [All aircraft, 1,695 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071010/cases.md) - [Fuel system: fuel quantity indicator](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01022841): Aircraft › Aircraft systems · Malfunction (probable cause); cases with it: [Fahey William J CH750 CRUZER, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01022841/cases.md?model=0563923), [All aircraft, 35 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01022841/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Enroute: Loss of engine power (total)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341) (defining event); cases with it: [Fahey William J CH750 CRUZER, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341/sequence.md?model=0563923), [All aircraft, 3,820 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341/sequence.md) ## Analysis The pilot of the experimental, amateur-built airplane reported that the airplane contained about 13 gallons of fuel prior to takeoff for a 1-hour local flight. After flying for about 30 minutes, the pilot switched from the left to the right fuel tank. Shortly thereafter, the engine lost power. The pilot thought he accidently ran out of fuel; however, the header fuel tank gauge indicated a full tank. Due to the airplane’s low altitude at the time of the engine power loss, the pilot executed a forced landing to a mowed wheat field which was surrounded by a low-profile fence. During the landing, the airplane contacted the fence and nosed over. The airplane sustained substantial damage to both wings and rudder. The airplane’s fuel system consisted of a fuel tank in each wing that gravity fed to a header tank. The header tank contained two internal fuel pumps that delivered fuel to the engine driven fuel pump. The header tank was equipped with a “Motor Meter Racing Fuel Level” gauge. A postaccident examination and a functional test of the engine revealed no evidence of mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. A functional test of the fuel gauge determined the gauge was inoperative. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N415WF](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N415WF), registered now, S/N C75-11143, built 2021 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: FAHEY WILLIAM J CH750 CRUZER - Registry model: [Fahey William J CH750 CRUZER](https://openairdocs.org/model/fahey-william-j-ch750-cruzer) (registry code 0563923) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Viking 130](https://openairdocs.org/engine/viking-130) (registry code 63998, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane, amateur-built - Serial number: C75-11143 - Year built: 2021 - Airframe hours: 204 - Engines: Viking 130 130 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special) - Last inspection: Condition, April 23, 2022 - Airport: 8T8 - Equipment: Electronic primary flight display, Electronic flight bag or handheld device, Auto-pilot, ADS-B, Satellite tracking device ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 60; injuries: none; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: basicmed, without waivers/limitations; last flight review October 10, 2021; seat: left; restraint: 5-point; flight hours: 472 total, 202 in this make and model, 422 as pilot in command, 45 in the last 90 days, 5 in the last 30 days, 1 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 50° at 8 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 18,000 ft broken - Temperature: 90 °F, dew point 64 °F - Altimeter: 29.91 inHg - Observed at: KSKF, 14 nm away - METAR: KSKF 021855Z 05008KT 10SM SCT055 SCT120 BKN180 32/18 A2991 RMK AO2A SLP120 T03180184 $ ## 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 20220602009329A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20220602009329A), Jun 2, 2022: Fahey William J CH750 CRUZER, San Antonio, TX, Substantial damage. On June 02, 2022 at approximately 1:20PM CDT pilot departed medina river ranch (XS43) for a planned 1 hour test flight. This flight was the 3rd flight for an… ## Docket (3 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on July 22, 2022, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=105191. 5.2 MB in all. - Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 10 pages, 3.6 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=14165808&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=6120_Redacted-Rel.pdf - FAA inspector summary (item 2, PDF, 1 page, 97 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=14164893&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=FAA%20Summary_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Accident photographs (item 3, PDF, 4 pages, 1.6 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=14166026&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Photo%20Array-Rel.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.