# NTSB ERA20CA059: Eipper Quicksilver, N211RR, Mayaguez, PR, December 22, 2019

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Minor injuries · Data collection · Final report
- Date: December 22, 2019, 09:10 local (13:10 UTC)
- Place: Mayaguez, PR
- Coordinates: 18.210556, -67.159164
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=18.2106&lon=-67.1592&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Defining event: [Enroute: Fuel starvation](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/191)
- Highest injury: Minor injuries
- Injuries: 1 minor
- Status: Completed, report August 17, 2020
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office: Eastern Region Aviation
- Parties: FAA/FSDO
- NTSB case key (mKey): 100732
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ERA20CA059
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/100732/pdf
- NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=100732
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA20CA059

## Probable cause

The student pilot's inadvertent movement of the fuel shutoff switch to the “off” position while attempting to take a picture of himself, which resulted in a total loss of engine power due to fuel starvation and a subsequent ditching in open water.

## Findings

NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause.

- [Use of equip/info: use of equip/system](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063015): Personnel issues › Task performance · Student/instructed pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Quicksilver Mfg MX II SPRINT, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063015/cases.md?model=05903UT), [All aircraft, 1,391 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063015/cases.md)
- [Attention/monitoring: attention](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02021510): Personnel issues › Psychological · Student/instructed pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Quicksilver Mfg MX II SPRINT, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02021510/cases.md?model=05903UT), [All aircraft, 226 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02021510/cases.md)
- [Fuel system: fuel selector/shutoff valve](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01022823): Aircraft › Aircraft systems · Unintentional use/operation (probable cause); cases with it: [Quicksilver Mfg MX II SPRINT, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01022823/cases.md?model=05903UT), [All aircraft, 176 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01022823/cases.md)
- [Fluids: fuel](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071010): Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware · Fluid level (probable cause); cases with it: [Quicksilver Mfg MX II SPRINT, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071010/cases.md?model=05903UT), [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: Miscellaneous/other](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/900); cases with it: [Quicksilver Mfg MX II SPRINT, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/900/sequence.md?model=05903UT), [All aircraft, 1,556 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/900/sequence.md)
- [Enroute: Fuel starvation](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/191) (defining event); cases with it: [Quicksilver Mfg MX II SPRINT, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/191/sequence.md?model=05903UT), [All aircraft, 733 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/191/sequence.md)
- [Emergency descent: Ditching](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/441); cases with it: [Quicksilver Mfg MX II SPRINT, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/441/sequence.md?model=05903UT), [All aircraft, 186 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/441/sequence.md)

## Analysis

The solo student pilot reported that, while attempting to take a picture of himself, he accidentally moved the fuel shutoff switch to the "off" position, which resulted in a loss of all engine power. He ditched the airplane onto open water and was rescued by boaters. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the wing and the structural tubing of the fuselage.

## Factual narrative

The student pilot reported that, while attempting to take a picture of himself, he accidentally moved the fuel shutoff switch to the OFF position. The engine experienced a complete loss of power. He initiated a forced landing onto open water and was rescued by boaters. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the wing and the structural tubing of the fuselage.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N211RR](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N211RR), registered now, S/N 0631, built 2003 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: Eipper QUICKSILVER (MXII)
- Registry model: [Quicksilver Mfg MX II SPRINT](https://openairdocs.org/model/quicksilver-mfg-mx-ii-sprint) (registry code 05903UT) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Rotax 582DCDI](https://openairdocs.org/engine/rotax-582dcdi) (registry code 55562, 2 cycle) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 0631
- Year built: 2003
- Engines: Rotax 582 65 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Personal, Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special)
- Departed: Mayaguez, PR
- Destination: Mayaguez, PR
- Equipment: Unknown

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 46; injuries: minor; student; medical: unknown; seat: left

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 90° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Temperature: 79 °F
- Altimeter: 30.05 inHg
- Observed at: TJBQ, 17 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 20191222019829A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20191222019829A), Dec 22, 2019: Quicksilver Mfg MX II SPRINT, Mayguez, PR, Substantial damage. On December 22, 2019, N211RR a Quicksilver, Mx II Sprint, experimental light sport aircraft departed from tjmz (mayaguez airport, PR) for a sightseen flight at…

## Docket (3 files)

The files NTSB released with the investigation on June 27, 2020, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=100732. 858 KB in all.

- FAA Pilot Interview (item 1, .PDF, 226 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40484914&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=FAA%20Pilot%20Interview-Master.PDF
- Summary for Record – Pilot (item 2, .PDF, 36 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40483973&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Summary%20for%20Record%20%E2%80%93%20Pilot-Master.PDF
- Photo Array (item 3, .PDF, 596 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40483974&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%20Array-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.

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