# NTSB ERA10CA003: Malone Henry O Howland, N6626R, Gloucester, VA, October 3, 2009 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report - Date: October 3, 2009, 15:15 local (19:15 UTC) - Place: Gloucester, VA - Coordinates: 37.408332, -76.521942 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=37.4083&lon=-76.5219&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Enroute-cruise: Fuel exhaustion](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/192) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report April 19, 2010 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Eastern Region Aviation - Parties: FAA/FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 74845 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ERA10CA003 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/74845/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=74845 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA10CA003 ## Probable cause A loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion as a result of the pilot's inadequate pre-flight planning . ## 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: [Malone Henry O HOWLAND H-2A, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02061030/cases.md?model=05618FN), [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: [Malone Henry O HOWLAND H-2A, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071010/cases.md?model=05618FN), [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-cruise: Fuel exhaustion](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/192) (defining event); cases with it: [Malone Henry O HOWLAND H-2A, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/192/sequence.md?model=05618FN), [All aircraft, 804 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/192/sequence.md) ## Analysis The pilot stated that he was conducting a short flight to a friend's private airport, approximately 12 nautical miles away from his point of departure. He stated that he visually inspected the airplane's fuel level prior to departure and estimated that he had enough fuel to conduct the flight. The airplane was not equipped with a fuel quantity gauge. The pilot stated that while cruising at 1,500 feet, he "ran out of gas." The pilot attempted to land on a road, but the airplane collided with power lines and then struck the ground. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the wings and fuselage. The pilot stated that there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures of the airplane. A Federal Aviation Administration inspector who responded to the accident scene reported that there was no fuel found in any of the airplane's fuel tanks. ## Factual narrative The pilot stated that he was conducting a short flight to a friend's private airport, approximately 12 nautical miles away from his point of departure. He stated that he visually inspected the airplane's fuel level prior to departure and estimated that he had enough to conduct the flight. The airplane was not equipped with a fuel quantity gauge. The pilot stated that while cruising at 1,500 feet, he "ran out of gas." The pilot attempted to land on a road, but the airplane collided with power lines and then struck the ground. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the wings and fuselage. The pilot stated that there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures of the airplane. A Federal Aviation Administration inspector who responded to the accident scene reported that there was no fuel found in any of the airplane's fuel tanks. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N6626R](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N6626R-2015-05-06), registration cancelled 2015-05-06, S/N 1, built 1992 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Malone Henry O Howland (H-2A) - Registry model: [Malone Henry O HOWLAND H-2A](https://openairdocs.org/model/malone-henry-o-howland-h-2a) (registry code 05618FN) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Hirth F30](https://openairdocs.org/engine/hirth-f30) (registry code 33730, 2 cycle) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane, amateur-built - Serial number: 1 - Engines: Hirth F30 80 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Operator: Michael Malone - Registered owner: Henry O Malone - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental light sport (Special) - Departed: FYJ, West Point, VA - Destination: Gloucester, VA - Flight plan: Unknown ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 42; injuries: none; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3, without waivers/limitations; last flight review October 26, 2008; seat: single; flight hours: 226 total, 6 in this make and model, 115 as pilot in command, 6 in the last 90 days, 6 in the last 30 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 180° at 6 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 81 °F, dew point 57 °F - Altimeter: 29.81 inHg - Observed at: FYJ ## 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 20091003050139A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20091003050139A), Oct 3, 2009: Malone Henr HOWLAND H-2, Gloucester, VA, Substantial damage. The pilot elected to depart the middle peninsula regional airport (fyj), west point, VA to land at a friends farm approximately 12 NM away from the airport.… ## Docket (2 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on December 10, 2009, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=74845. 525 KB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 492 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40322403&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Redacted.PDF - Memorandum for Record - FAA Inspector (item 2, .PDF, 33 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40322407&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Memorandum%20for%20Record%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.