- Date
- April 21, 2007, 15:15 local (20:15 UTC)
- Place
- Warrenton, MO
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N50MLDiamond Aircraft Industries DA 20-A1
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report June 27, 2007
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 20070421004589A
- Case key
- 65842
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 inadequate pre-flight planning which resulted in exhaustion of the fuel supply and the unsuitable terrain encountered for the forced landing. A factor in the accident was inaccurate fuel quantity indication.
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 airplane was substantially damaged during a forced landing following a loss of engine power during cruise flight. Examination of the airplane after the accident revealed no usable fuel remaining in the fuel tanks. A photograph of the fuel gauge that was taken after the accident showed the gauge indicating about 3/4 tank. During the subsequent examination, the fuel gauge showed about 1/4 tank. In a telephone conversation, the pilot stated that the airplane had been aloft for about 3 hours at the time the engine quit. He stated that he was familiar with this type airplane and knew that the airplane was capable of about 3 hours and 45 minutes of flight endurance. He stated that he was planning on stopping for fuel within the next 10 minutes of the accident time. He did not have a planned fuel stop and he was going to use his global positioning system receiver to select a suitable airport for fuel. The pilot selected a gravel road for the forced landing but landed short in a field. A fuel receipt indicated that the airplane had been fueled at the departure airport with 21.5 gallons of fuel at 0941 eastern daylight time on the day of the accident. The type certificate data sheet lists the airplane's fuel capacity as 20.9 gallons with 20.3 gallons usable fuel. The accident time was reported as 1515 central daylight time.
Factual narrative
The airplane was substantially damaged during a forced landing following a loss of engine power during cruise flight. Examination of the airplane after the accident revealed no usable fuel remaining in the fuel tanks. A photograph of the fuel gauge that was taken after the accident showed the gauge indicating about 3/4 tank. During the subsequent examination, the fuel gauge showed about 1/4 tank. In a telephone conversation, the pilot stated that the airplane had been aloft for about 3 hours at the time the engine quit. He stated that he was familiar with this type airplane and knew that the airplane was capable of about 3 hours and 45 minutes of flight endurance. He stated that he was planning on stopping for fuel within the next 10 minutes of the accident time. He did not have a planned fuel stop and he was going to use his global positioning system receiver to select a suitable airport for fuel. The pilot selected a gravel road for the forced landing but landed short in a field. A fuel receipt indicated that the airplane had been fueled at the departure airport with 21.5 gallons of fuel at 0941 eastern daylight time on the day of the accident. The type certificate data sheet lists the airplane's fuel capacity as 20.9 gallons with 20.3 gallons usable fuel. The accident time was reported as 1515 central daylight time.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N50ML
- Reported as
- Diamond Aircraft Industries DA 20-A1
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 10007
- Engine
- Rotax 912, 80 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- UYF · London, OH
- Destination
- unknown
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
- 39
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, Without waivers/limitations
- Flight hours
- 400 total · 130 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.