- Date
- August 15, 2015, 18:20 local (22:20 UTC)
- Place
- Pittsboro, NC
- Injuries
- 2 serious
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- UNREGQuicksilver MXL II Sport
- Defining event
- Initial climb: Fuel starvation
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report March 14, 2016
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Eastern Region Aviation
- Parties
- FAA/FSDO
- Case key
- 91810
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 failure to open the fuel shutoff valve during the preflight examination of the airplane which resulted in a total loss of engine power during initial climb after takeoff due to fuel starvation.
Findings · 3
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
According to the pilot, after takeoff during the climb at approximately 150 feet above ground level, the engine in the unregistered, two seat airplane lost power and the airplane's handling became "mushy." His passenger began to panic, and he found it hard to concentrate and figure out what was happening. The airplane began to lose altitude and he began maneuvering to find a field he could land in. He then noticed that there was a power line in front of him. He was able to clear the power line, but the airplane struck the top of a tree and was substantially damaged. The pilot advised that while maneuvering to land, that when he turned the airplane slightly to the right, the airplane "wanted to fly," and if lowered the nose of the airplane to maintain airspeed, the power seemed to increase slightly. Examination of the wreckage revealed that even though the fuel tank was 1/2 full, the fuel shutoff valve was in the "OFF" (closed) position. The horizontally mounted fuel filter which was located downstream of the closed shutoff valve was only 1/3 full and did not have enough fuel to reach the inlet or outlet ports on the filter. The fuel line to the carburetor was devoid of fuel, and the carburetor float bowl contained less than a teaspoon.
Factual narrative
According to the pilot, after takeoff during the climb at approximately 150 feet above ground level, the engine in the unregistered, two seat airplane lost power and the airplane's handling became "mushy." His passenger began to panic, and he found it hard to concentrate and figure out what was happening. The airplane began to lose altitude and he began maneuvering to find a field he could land in. He then noticed that there was a power line in front of him. He was able to clear the power line, but the airplane struck the top of a tree and was substantially damaged. The pilot advised that while maneuvering to land, that when he turned the airplane slightly to the right, the airplane "wanted to fly," and if lowered the nose of the airplane to maintain airspeed, the power seemed to increase slightly. Examination of the wreckage revealed that even though the fuel tank was 1/2 full, the fuel shutoff valve was in the "OFF" (closed) position. The horizontally mounted fuel filter which was located downstream of the closed shutoff valve was only 1/3 full and did not have enough fuel to reach the inlet or outlet ports on the filter. The fuel line to the carburetor was devoid of fuel, and the carburetor float bowl contained less than a teaspoon.
Aircraft
- Registration
- UNREG
- Reported as
- Quicksilver MXL II Sport
- Category
- Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- None
- Engine
- Rotax 582, 64 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- None
- Departed
- 1NC1 · Pittsboro, NC
- Destination
- 1NC1 · Pittsboro, NC
- Airport
- 1NC1 · Ron's Ultralight Field, runway 32, 1,600 × 125 ft, grass/turf
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 58
- Injuries
- Serious
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 4-point
- Flight hours
- 400 total
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 91 °F, dew point 59 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.10 inHg
- Observed at
- KIGX, 11 nm away
Docket · 5
The files NTSB released with the investigation on February 3, 2016, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 1.9 MB in all.