- Date
- June 17, 2015, 16:30 local (20:30 UTC)
- Place
- Moreland, GA
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N353DCDiamond Aircraft Ind DA 20 C1
- Defining event
- Approach: Fuel exhaustion
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report August 11, 2015
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Eastern Region Aviation
- Parties
- FAA/FSDO
- FAA report
- 20150617020279A
- Case key
- 91395
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 flight instructor's inaccurate fuel planning, which resulted in a total loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion.
Findings · 2
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The flight instructor stated that he and the private pilot receiving instruction had planned a long cross-country flight to build flight time. The cross-country flight was uneventful and they landed back at their home airport; however, they performed a touch-and-go to fly more and practice instrument approaches. After two approaches, the pilots were again approaching their home airport when the engine lost all power. The flight instructor was unable to restart the engine and performed a forced landing to a field. He further stated that he had miscalculated fuel consumption and that the engine lost power due to fuel exhaustion. Examination of the wreckage by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector revealed substantial damage to the right wing. The inspector noted that the single fuel tank remained intact and was absent of fuel. One gallon of fuel was then added to the fuel tank and the engine started without hesitation and ran continuously. The inspector stated that according to Hobbs time, the airplane was operated for 3.6 hours since its last fueling.
Factual narrative
The flight instructor stated that he and the private pilot receiving instruction had planned a long cross-country flight to build flight time. The cross-country flight was uneventful and they landed back at their home airport; however, they performed a touch-and-go to fly more and practice instrument approaches. After two approaches, the pilots were again approaching their home airport when the engine lost all power. The flight instructor was unable to restart the engine and performed a forced landing to a field. He further stated that he had miscalculated fuel consumption and that the engine lost power due to fuel exhaustion. Examination of the wreckage by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector revealed substantial damage to the right wing. The inspector noted that the single fuel tank remained intact and was absent of fuel. One gallon of fuel was then added to the fuel tank and the engine started without hesitation and ran continuously. The inspector stated that according to Hobbs time, the airplane was operated for 3.6 hours since its last fueling.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N353DC
- Reported as
- Diamond Aircraft Ind DA 20 C1
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- C0353
- Built
- 2005
- Airframe hours
- 4,227
- Engine
- Continental IO-240, 125 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Operator
- Falcon Aviation Academy
- Registered owner
- Scc Aviation Holdings LLC
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Aerobatic
- Last inspection
- Annual · June 25, 2015 · 48 hours before
- Departed
- CCO · Moreland, GA
- Destination
- CCO · Moreland, GA
- Airport
- CCO · Newnan County Airport
- Equipment
- Stall warning system
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 · 2
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Flight instructor
- Age
- 50
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- November 21, 2014
- Seat
- Right
- Restraint
- 4-point
- Flight hours
- 1,105 total · 451 in this make and model · 927 as pilot in command · 174 in the last 90 days · 64 in the last 30 days · 0 in the last 24 hours
- Role
- Student pilot
- Age
- 24
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- March 18, 2015
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 4-point
- Flight hours
- 70 total · 70 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 270° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 93 °F, dew point 72 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.09 inHg
- Observed at
- CCO, 5 nm away
Docket · 4
The files NTSB released with the investigation on July 30, 2015, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 2.1 MB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.
Other investigations on N353DC · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.