# NTSB DEN03LA051: Panzl PAN, N11ZL, Vernal, UT, March 18, 2003 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Minor injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: March 18, 2003, 09:20 local (16:20 UTC) - Place: Vernal, UT - Coordinates: 40.389087, -112.310646 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=40.3891&lon=-112.3106&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: Minor injuries - Injuries: 1 minor - Status: Completed, report November 25, 2003 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: Salt Lake City, UT - NTSB case key (mKey): 56657 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=DEN03LA051 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/56657/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DEN03LA051 ## Probable cause the pilot's inadequate preflight preparation and his lack of familiarity with the airplane, which subsequently resulted in fuel starvation to the engine. Contributing factors were unfavorable wind conditions and the downdraft weather condition. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of engine power, cruise - normal - preflight planning/preparation - inadequate, pilot in command (cause) - fluid,fuel - starvation (cause) - lack of familiarity with aircraft, pilot in command (cause) - Forced landing, emergency descent/landing - Hard landing, emergency descent/landing - weather condition - unfavorable wind (contributing factor) - weather condition - downdraft (contributing factor) - terrain condition - roadway/highway ## Analysis This was the pilot's first flight in the airplane. During the preflight, the previous owner "stuck" the fuel tanks and told the pilot that the main tank had an estimated 15 to 16 gallons of fuel, and the auxiliary tank (wing) was full. The pilot reported that he did not look into his fuel tanks. The previous owner said that he never flew with the fuel selector in the auxiliary position; by putting it in the both position, the auxiliary fuel flowed into the main tank and the engine continued to draw directly from the main tank. The pilot said that he flew on the main tank for approximately one hour and then turned the fuel selector to the auxiliary position (fuel flows directly from the auxiliary tank to the engine). Approximately 20 minutes later the engine quit. The pilot changed back to the main position on the fuel selector valve, but because his cruise altitude was approximately 1,500 feet AGL, he had little time to rectify the situation. During the subsequent forced landing, to an elevated highway, the pilot encounter high crosswinds and a downdraft resulting in the airplane impacting with high vertical forces. Post-accident examination revealed the auxiliary tank was empty and the main tank contained 3 to 4 gallons of fuel. ## Factual narrative On March 18, 2003, at approximately 0920 mountain standard time, a Panzl PAN homebuilt experimental airplane, N11ZL, was substantially damaged during impact with terrain following a forced landing attempt near Vernal, Utah. The commercial pilot, the sole occupant on board, received minor injuries. The flight was being conducted under Title 14 CFR Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the cross-country flight that originated at approximately 0800 from Steamboat Springs, Colorado. The pilot had not filed a flight plan. The pilot told local police officials that he had just purchased the airplane, and was flying it to his home in Reno, Nevada. The previous owner said that the pilot told him that he had flown airplanes similar to this airplane, but this was his first flight in the PAN. The pilot said that as he approached the Vernal Airport, the engine lost power due to fuel exhaustion, and he performed a forced landing on Highway 40. He said he had to maneuver the airplane to miss some transmission wires, and he encountered a quartering tail wind (020 degrees at 15 knots, gusting to 22 knots) that was blowing across the highway. The highway was elevated 10 to 14 feet above the surrounding terrain. The pilot said that the airspeed indicator was indicating 100 miles per hour, but the airplane contacted the highway at a high rate of descent. During the subsequent hard landing, the landing gear was "pushed" into the wings. Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed that the lower right wing spar was broken, and the top right wing had wrinkled skin. The engine's firewall was also bent and rippled. The previous owner said that the main fuel tank (header/fuselage tank) held 18 gallons of fuel, and the auxiliary (wing) tank held 9 gallons. He "stuck" [measured fuel tank levels with a stick] the fuel tanks just before the pilot's departure, and estimated that there were 15 to 16 gallons of fuel in the main tank and the wing tank was full. The airplane's engine burned approximately 12.5 gallons per hour. The previous owner said that he "never" used the auxiliary position on the fuel selector. He said that he would burn from the main fuel tank for approximately 1 hour, then he would select the "both" position. When the "both" position was selected, the wing tank fuel would drain into the main fuel tank, but the engine fuel supply would continue coming directly from the main fuel tank. If the auxiliary position was selected on the fuel selector, the fuel would flow from the wing tank directly to the engine. The pilot said that he estimated the flight time to Vernal [his first fuel stop] to be approximately 1 hour. He said that during his preflight aircraft check, he did not personally check the fuel tanks because he wanted to get airborne (some weather was coming in). The pilot said he "burned" from the main fuel tank for approximately 1 hour, and then moved the fuel selector to the auxiliary position (his written statement states that he turned to the "both" position). Approximately 20 minutes later, the engine began to lose power. The pilot said that he switched the fuel selector back to the main position, but because of his low altitude, he could not get the fuel injected engine restarted in time. After the landing, the auxiliary wing fuel tank was found to be empty, and the main fuel tank had 3 to 4 gallons in it. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N11ZL](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N11ZL), registered now, S/N ZL-1 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Panzl PAN - Registry model: [Panzl B H/Panzl C J PAN](https://openairdocs.org/model/panzl-b-h-panzl-c-j-pan) (registry code 05612FW) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Franklin 6V-335 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/franklin-6v-335-series) (registry code 27039, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane, amateur-built - Serial number: ZL-1 - Airframe hours: 400 - Engines: Franklin IO-350-CL 220 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special) - Last inspection: Condition, October 15, 2001 - Departed: SBS, Steamboat Spgs, CO - Destination: VEL, Vernal, UT ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 57; injuries: minor; flight instructor, commercial; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; last flight review July 19, 2001; seat: center; flight hours: 1,724 total, 1 in this make and model, 1,605 as pilot in command, 62 in the last 90 days, 37 in the last 30 days, 1 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 20° at 15 knots, gusting 22 - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 6,000 ft overcast - Temperature: 36 °F, dew point 25 °F - Altimeter: 29.70 inHg - Observed at: VEL, 11 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 20030318003189A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20030318003189A), Mar 18, 2003: Amtr PANZL1, Vernal, UT, Substantial damage. (-23) On 3-18-03 pilot vigoren was on his first flight from steamboat springs, Colorado to Vernal, Utah, when the engine failed and he made an emergency… 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.