# NTSB ERA20TA005: Silverlight AR-1, N463JW, Fort Meade, FL, October 3, 2019 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 3 · Final report - Date: October 3, 2019, 11:15 local (15:15 UTC) - Place: Fort Meade, FL · Swamp - Coordinates: 27.701665, -81.786109 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=27.7017&lon=-81.7861&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Prior to flight](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/100) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Prior to flight: Fuel contamination](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/193) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed - Report: Approved by Office Director - Investigation class: Class 3 - NTSB office: Eastern Region Aviation - Parties: Rotech Flight Safety, FAA - NTSB case key (mKey): 100374 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ERA20TA005 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/100374/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=100374 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA20TA005 ## Probable cause The student pilot’s inadequate preflight inspection that failed to detect water contamination of the fuel and resulted in a total loss of engine power during cruise flight. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Inspection: preflight inspection](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02061510): Personnel issues › Task performance · Student/instructed pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Jeffrey W Wright AR-1, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02061510/cases.md?model=05637ZS), [All aircraft, 551 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02061510/cases.md) - [Fluids: fuel](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071010): Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware · Fluid condition; cases with it: [Jeffrey W Wright AR-1, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071010/cases.md?model=05637ZS), [All aircraft, 1,695 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071010/cases.md) - [Engine fuel and control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01057300): Aircraft › Aircraft power plant · Damaged/degraded; cases with it: [Jeffrey W Wright AR-1, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01057300/cases.md?model=05637ZS), [All aircraft, 49 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01057300/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Prior to flight: Fuel contamination](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/193) (defining event); cases with it: [Jeffrey W Wright AR-1, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/193/sequence.md?model=05637ZS), [All aircraft, 225 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/193/sequence.md) - [Enroute-cruise: Loss of engine power (total)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341); cases with it: [Jeffrey W Wright AR-1, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341/sequence.md?model=05637ZS), [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: [Jeffrey W Wright AR-1, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md?model=05637ZS), [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md) ## Analysis The student pilot obtained automotive fuel from a gas station close to his departure airport to fuel the gyroplane before departing on a solo cross-country flight. About 45 minutes into the flight, there was a “loud bang” from the engine, and it subsequently lost total power and could not be restarted. The pilot performed a forced landing in a swamp, during which the rotor blades impacted terrain. Post-accident examination revealed fuel contamination consisting of water and sediment. New fuel was added, and a subsequent test run of the engine revealed no anomalies. It is likely that the loss of engine power was the result of the fuel contamination, and that the accident would have likely been prevented if the student pilot had performed an adequate preflight inspection to detect water in the fuel. ## Factual narrative On October 3, 2019, about 1130 eastern daylight time, a Silverlight Aviation AR-1 Gyroplane, N463JW, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Fort Meade, Florida. The student pilot was uninjured. The gyroplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 instructional flight. The student pilot reported that, about 45 minutes after departing on a solo cross-country flight, he “heard a loud bang” from the engine. He increased power but there was no response from the engine. He attempted to troubleshoot the problem, but was unsuccessful in his attempts to restore power. As the gyroplane descended through 900 ft mean sea level, he elected to land in a tall grass field that appeared to be free of obstructions. The approach was normal, but during the landing flare, the gyroplane impacted tall grass reeds then settled into mud as it landed and tilted to the side, which allowed the rotor blades to impact the ground. The pilot stated that he obtained his fuel from a gas station near the departure airport. He stated that he used that specific gas station frequently and had not had any problems with fuel in the past. Examination of the gyroplane revealed the mast beam, rotor blades, and fuselage sustained substantial damage. The gyroplane was tilted toward the right and the right landing gear was submerged in the mud. The engine and fuel tank remained above the mud and was free of mud and debris; it was intact. Further examination revealed no anomalies; however, during the attempted engine run, the engine failed to start and operate after several attempts. The fuel system was examined and about 14 gallons of fuel was drained, revealing about 1/2 gallon of water/sediment contamination. The fuel was replaced with new fuel and the subsequent engine start and operation was normal. The engine produced power up to 5,100 rpm and rapid manipulation of the throttle from open to closed revealed no irregularities. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N463JW](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N463JW), registered now, S/N 0028, built 2018 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: SILVERLIGHT AVIATION LLC AR-1 - Registry model: [Jeffrey W Wright AR-1](https://openairdocs.org/model/jeffrey-w-wright-ar-1) (registry code 05637ZS) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Rotax 914UL](https://openairdocs.org/engine/rotax-914ul) (registry code 55553, 4 cycle) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Gyroplane, amateur-built - Serial number: 0028 - Year built: 2018 - Airframe hours: 140 - Engines: Rotax 914UL 115 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Instructional, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special) - Departed: X39, Tampa, FL - Destination: SEF, Sebring, FL - Equipment: ADS-B, Handheld GPS ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 56; injuries: none; student; medical: sport pilot; seat: front; restraint: 4-point; flight hours: 139 total, 139 in this make and model, 99 as pilot in command ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 60° at 8 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 2,500 ft broken - Temperature: 84 °F, dew point 68 °F - Altimeter: 30.02 inHg - Observed at: BOW, 11 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 20191003023139A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20191003023139A), Oct 3, 2019: Jeffrey W Wright AR-1, Fort Meade, FL, Minor damage. The pilot was flying a VFR leg from zephyrhills airport to sebring with another gyro aircraft. At cruise speed of approximately 90 knots and 900 feet AGL, the… ## Docket (6 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on March 4, 2022, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=100374. 2.1 MB in all. - Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 11 pages, 591 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=8624532&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Pilots%206120%20Accident%20Report_Redacted-Rel.pdf - FAA inspector statement (item 2, PDF, 1 page, 52 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=8624729&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=FAA%20Inspectors%20Report_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Record of conversation - pilot (item 3, PDF, 1 page, 24 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=8636206&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Record%20of%20Conversation-Pilot-Rel.pdf - Record of weather (item 4, PDF, 1 page, 119 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=8627963&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Record%20of%20Weather-Rel.pdf - Photo array- accident site and damage (item 5, PDF, 6 pages, 1.2 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=8635414&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Accident%20Site%20and%20Damage%20Photographs-Rel.pdf - Photograph of water in fuel (item 6, PDF, 1 page, 120 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=8631051&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Fuel%20Sample-Rel.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.