# NTSB ERA09CA011: Velocity SE-FG, N246RR, Chipley, FL, October 9, 2008 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report - Date: October 9, 2008, 18:31 local (22:31 UTC) - Place: Chipley, FL - Coordinates: 30.60361, -85.487503 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=30.6036&lon=-85.4875&mi=10 - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report January 22, 2009 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Eastern Region Aviation - Parties: FAA/FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 69264 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ERA09CA011 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/69264/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA09CA011 ## Probable cause The pilot's inadequate in-flight fuel planning, resulting in loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion. ## 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: [Velocity SE-FG, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02061030/cases.md?model=05621HU), [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 level (probable cause); cases with it: [Velocity SE-FG, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071010/cases.md?model=05621HU), [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: Fuel exhaustion](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/192); cases with it: [All aircraft, 804 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/192/sequence.md) - [Enroute-descent: Loss of engine power (total)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341); cases with it: [All aircraft, 3,820 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341/sequence.md) ## Analysis The pilot stated that he began a landing descent for a planned fuel stop. He reported that the left tank was low, while the right tank had more than one-half tank of fuel. At 7,000 feet msl in the descent, the engine lost power and quit. He was unable to glide to an airport, so he prepared for landing on a road. During the landing, he steered the airplane to avoid an oncoming truck. The left wing struck a pole, resulting in substantial damage. Both main wing fuel tanks gravity feed to a five-gallon sump tank, and an FAA inspector was able to drain approximately two gallons of fuel from the sump tank at the accident site; no fuel could be drained from the main tanks. The tank sight gauges indicated zero in the left tank and well below the lowest mark in the right tank. An additional 4.75 gallons of fuel was recovered during disassembly of the airplane for transport. Inspection of the fuel manifold revealed no evidence of fuel. The owner's representative stated that the low-profile wing tanks would have unusable fuel in a nose-low attitude, since the main tank fuel drains are located aft and inboard on the tank. ## Factual narrative The pilot stated that he began a descent for landing in Tallahassee (KTLH) for a planned fuel stop. He reported that the left tank was low, while the right tank had more than one-half tank of fuel. At 7,000 feet msl in the descent, the engine lost power and quit. He was unable to glide to an airport, so he prepared for landing on a road. During the landing, he steered the airplane to avoid an oncoming truck. The left wing struck a pole, resulting in substantial damage. Both main wing fuel tanks gravity feed to a five-gallon sump tank, and an FAA inspector was able to drain approximately two gallons of fuel from the sump tank at the accident site; no fuel could be drained from the main tanks. The tank sight gauges indicated zero in the left tank and well below the lowest mark in the right tank. An additional 4.75 gallons of fuel was recovered during disassembly of the airplane for transport. Inspection of the fuel manifold revealed no evidence of fuel. The owner's representative stated that the low-profile wing tanks would have unusable fuel in a nose-low attitude, since the main tank fuel drains are located aft and inboard on the tank. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N246RR](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N246RR-2018-01-17), registration cancelled 2018-01-17, S/N SFG-037, built 2006 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: VELOCITY INC SE-FG - Registry model: [Velocity SE-FG](https://openairdocs.org/model/velocity-se-fg) (registry code 05621HU) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming IO-360-C1E6](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-io-360-c1e6) (registry code 41835, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane, amateur-built - Serial number: SFG-037 - Airframe hours: 187 - Engines: LYCOMING IO-360-C1E6 200 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Ferry, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special) - Last inspection: Condition, April 16, 2008 - Departed: 7F3, Caddo Mills, TX - Destination: KTLH, Tallahassee, FL ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 36; injuries: none; airline transport, flight instructor; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, without waivers/limitations; last flight review December 18, 2007; seat: left; flight hours: 4,500 total, 17 in this make and model, 4,200 as pilot in command, 50 in the last 90 days, 25 in the last 30 days, 5 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Dusk - Wind: calm - Visibility: 20 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 77 °F - Observed at: KTLH, 64 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 20081009857119A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20081009857119A), Oct 9, 2008: Veloci SEFG, Caddo Mills, TX, Substantial damage. (-23) N246RR was cruising at 11,500 ft when the pilot noticed the left fuel tank getting low. He said his right tank was 3/4 full but decided to land in… 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.