# NTSB ERA19TA254: GIger Frank R Nieuport II, N112GV, Talladega, AL, August 17, 2019 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Minor injuries · Class 3 · Final report - Date: August 17, 2019, 12:42 local (17:42 UTC) - Place: Talladega, AL - Coordinates: 33.496112, -86.221664 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=33.4961&lon=-86.2217&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Enroute-descent: Fuel exhaustion](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/192) - Highest injury: Minor injuries - Injuries: 1 minor - Status: Completed - Report: Approved by Office Director - Investigation class: Class 3 - NTSB office: Eastern Region Aviation - Parties: FAA FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 100117 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ERA19TA254 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/100117/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=100117 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA19TA254 ## Probable cause A total loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion after the pilot inadvertently kicked a fuel line during turbulence, which resulted in a forced landing into trees. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Turbulence](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03032000): Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena · Effect on personnel (probable cause); cases with it: [Giger Frank R NIEUPORT II, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03032000/cases.md?model=05634T1), [All aircraft, 92 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03032000/cases.md) - [Fuel system: fuel filter-strainer](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01022821): Aircraft › Aircraft systems · Damaged/degraded (probable cause); cases with it: [Giger Frank R NIEUPORT II, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01022821/cases.md?model=05634T1), [All aircraft, 52 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01022821/cases.md) - [Fuel system: fuel filter-strainer](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01022821): Aircraft › Aircraft systems · Design (probable cause); cases with it: [Giger Frank R NIEUPORT II, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01022821/cases.md?model=05634T1), [All aircraft, 52 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01022821/cases.md) - [Action: unnecessary action](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041045): Personnel issues › Action/decision · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Giger Frank R NIEUPORT II, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041045/cases.md?model=05634T1), [All aircraft, 52 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041045/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) (defining event); cases with it: [Giger Frank R NIEUPORT II, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/192/sequence.md?model=05634T1), [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: [Giger Frank R NIEUPORT II, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341/sequence.md?model=05634T1), [All aircraft, 3,820 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341/sequence.md) - [Landing-flare/touchdown: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [Giger Frank R NIEUPORT II, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md?model=05634T1), [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md) ## Analysis The sport pilot filled his experimental amateur-built airplane with 10 gallons of fuel before the cross-country flight. During the 55-minute flight, the airplane used about 3 gallons of fuel. During the return flight, the pilot climbed the airplane to 5,000 ft mean sea level to avoid "bad" turbulence. Shortly thereafter, the pilot noticed the fuel gauge was indicating 4 gallons and quickly fell to 0 gallons before the engine lost all power. The pilot made a forced landing on top of the trees bordering a road with traffic then collided with the terrain adjacent to the road, resulting in substantial damage to the airplane’s left wing and fuselage. Postaccident examination revealed that the fuel line to the sump, which was installed underneath the instrument panel between the rudder pedals, was broken. During the turbulence, the pilot likely inadvertently kicked the fuel line with his steel-toe boots, shearing it off at the fuel line connection barb, resulting in fuel exhaustion. ## Factual narrative On August 17, 2019, about 1242 central daylight time, an experimental amateur-built Nieuport II, N112GV, was substantially damaged during a forced landing near Talladega, Alabama. The sport pilot sustained minor injuries. The airplane was privately owned and operated under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the personal flight, that departed Bessemer Airport (EKY) Bessemer, Alabama, about 1200 and was destined for Talladega Municipal Airport (ASN) Talladega, Alabama. The pilot reported that he topped off his airplane with 10 gallons of fuel before his flight from ASN to EKY. During the 55-minute flight about 3 gallons of fuel was used, leaving 7 gallons for the return flight home. During the return flight back to ASN, he climbed up to 5,000 ft mean sea level (msl) to avoid "bad" turbulence. About 15 minutes from ASN the pilot started a descent to 3,000 ft msl, checked his fuel gauge, and noticed that it was reading 4 gallons of fuel remaining. Shortly thereafter the fuel gauge was reading near zero and the engine stopped. The pilot made a forced landing on top of the trees bordering a road that contained vehicle traffic. The airplane settled into the trees before colliding with the ground. The pilot stated the turbulence was very heavy during the flight and that he was getting "kicked" around by the turbulence. He was wearing steel toe boots and likely kicked off the fuel line which was located under the instrument panel between the rudder pedals. The line broke off and the fuel drained out. He stated the open cockpit creates a vacuum effect, so he never smelled the fuel as it drained. Examination of the airplane by a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector revealed that the airplane was substantially damaged during the landing in the trees. The left wing was bent at multiple locations and the fuselage was buckled. There were multiple ribs and stringers broken and several tears in the wing and fuselage fabric. Closer inspection of the fuel lines and tank revealed that the fuel line to the sump, which was positioned between the rudder pedals and underneath the fuel tank, was broken off at the fuel line connection barb. The pilot held a sport pilot certificate with an endorsement for airplane single-engine land. The pilot reported 132.9 total hours of flight experience. According to FAA airworthiness and airplane maintenance records, the airplane was issued a special airworthiness certificate for experimental amateur-built on March 17, 2016. It was a single place bi-wing airplane, of aluminum tube and fabric construction, that was equipped with tailwheel landing gear, and a Volkswagen horizontally opposed 4 cylinder engine driving a two blade fixed pitch wooden propeller. The weather conditions reported at St Clair County Airport (PLR) Pell City, Alabama, located about 5 nautical miles northwest of the accident site reported at 1235,included wind 4 knots and variable, visibility 10 statute miles, clear skies, temperature 35° C, dew point 19° C, and an altimeter setting of 30.00 inches of mercury. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N112GV](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N112GV), registered now, S/N 143, built 2016 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: GIger Frank R Nieuport II - Registry model: [Giger Frank R NIEUPORT II](https://openairdocs.org/model/giger-frank-r-nieuport-ii) (registry code 05634T1) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Volkswagen CONVERSION](https://openairdocs.org/engine/volkswagen-conversion) (registry code 63501, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane, amateur-built - Serial number: 143 - Year built: 2016 - Airframe hours: 50.4 - Engines: Volkswagen CONVERSION 60 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special) - Last inspection: Condition, June 11, 2019 - Departed: EKY, Bessemer, AL - Destination: ASN, Talladega, AL - Equipment: Unknown ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 53; injuries: minor; sport pilot; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: basicmed; last flight review March 28, 2019; seat: single; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 132.8 total, 61 in this make and model, 98 as pilot in command ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: variable at 4 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 95 °F, dew point 66 °F - Altimeter: 30.00 inHg - Observed at: PLR, 5 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 20190817014089A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20190817014089A), Aug 17, 2019: Giger Frank R NIEUPORT II, Talladega, AL, Substantial damage. While enroute to Talladega from bessemer the pilot noticed that the fuel was down to just below four gallons, and began to divert towards st. clair (kplr), he… ## Docket (5 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on October 24, 2019, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=100117. 11.0 MB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 10.2 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40477111&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Master.PDF - Record of Conversation - Pilot/Owner (item 2, .PDF, 66 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40477112&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Record%20of%20Conversation%20-%20Pilot%2FOwner-Master.PDF - Record of Conversation - FAA (item 3, .PDF, 61 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40477113&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Record%20of%20Conversation%20-%20FAA-Master.PDF - Weather Observations (item 4, .PDF, 153 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40477114&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Weather%20Observations-Master.PDF - Photo Array - Airplane Damage and Accident Site (item 5, .PDF, 4 photos, 543 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40477115&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%20Array%20-%20Airplane%20Damage%20and%20Accident%20Site-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.