ERA21LA107

The pilot departed on a short local flight with 14 gallons of fuel in the main wing tanks and 12 gallons in the center tank. About 1,500 ft above ground level, the airplane experienced a total loss of engine power. The pilot initially attempted to restart the engine using fuel from the center tank in accordance with the Extra 300L Pilot’s Operating Handbook, which stated that engine restart in flight should be attempted on the center fuel tank. However, when the engine did not restart, he switched back to the main tanks but was still unable to restart the engine. The pilot made a forced landing, during which the airplane sustained substantial damage. A detailed examination of the engine revealed no anomalies. The engine was rotated manually, and thumb compression was obtained on all cylinders. A small amount of fuel was found at the inlet of the engine-driven fuel pump and the inlet to the fuel servo. The fuel inlet screen was removed from the fuel injector and found to be clean and unobstructed. About two to three drops of fuel were found in the line connecting the fuel injector to the fuel flow gauge. About two to three drops of fuel were also found in the line from the fuel flow gauge to the fuel manifold. After fuel was added to the center tank, the engine started and ran smoothly and continuously. The pilot stated that, before takeoff, he checked the fuel quantity in the left fuel tank but not the right fuel tank. The higher quantity of fuel toward the fuel pump compared with the quantity leading to the fuel manifold suggested that the lines were empty of fuel before the pilot switched to the center tank fuel supply, partially allowing some fuel back into the system but not enough to reach the combustion chambers before the pilot switched back to the main tanks. Thus, if the pilot had continued the restart procedure using the center fuel tank, as stated in the Pilots’ Operating Handbook, the engine would likely have regained power. Instead, fuel starvation occurred. The pilot provided information indicating that the accident could have been the result of the Extra EA300L fuel pickup tubes being rotated upward during maintenance, which would have prevented usable fuel from entering the fuel line. However, only trace amounts of fuel were found in the wing, and no maintenance records were provided to indicate when the fuel pickup tubes could have been incorrectly positioned.

On January 13, 2021, about 1319 eastern standard time, an Extra Flugzeubau GMBH EA300L, N771JP, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Pell City, Alabama. The pilot was not injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. According to the pilot, the airplane departed with 14 gallons of fuel in the main wing tanks and 12 gallons in the center fuel tank. The pilot stated that, before takeoff, he checked the fuel quantity (using a calibrated fuel stick) in the left fuel tank but not the right fuel tank because the fuel gauge was in the left tank. He measured 7 gallons of fuel in the left tank and estimated that the right tank also contained 7 gallons of fuel. After 10 minutes of flight and while the airplane was on approach to the airport at an altitude of about 1,500 ft above ground level, the airplane experienced a total loss of engine power. The pilot initially attempted to restart the engine using the fuel from the center tank; when the engine did not restart, he switched back to the main tanks but was still unable to restart the engine. As a result, the pilot decided to make a forced landing, during which the airplane’s left wing struck trees and terrain. Postaccident examination revealed that the airplane came to rest upright and wings level in a field and sustained substantial damage to the wings and fuselage. There was no odor of fuel or evidence of fuel spillage at the accident site. The center fuel tank was full, and the wing fuel tanks contained trace amounts of fuel. The left-wing leading edge was punctured about 3 and 7 ft outboard of the fuselage. The calibrated fuel stick that the pilot reportedly used to check the fuel quantity was not located at the site or the recovery facility. A detailed examination of the engine revealed no anomalies. The engine was rotated manually, and thumb compression was obtained on all cylinders. A small amount of fuel was found at the inlet of the engine-driven fuel pump and the inlet to the fuel servo. The fuel inlet screen was removed from the fuel injector and found to be clean and unobstructed. About two to three drops of fuel were found in the line connecting the fuel injector to the fuel flow gauge. About two to three drops of fuel were also found in the line from the fuel flow gauge to the fuel manifold. The center tank had previously been drained by recovery personnel. After fuel was added to the center tank, the engine started and ran smoothly and continuously. After the investigation, the pilot submitted a letter to the NTSB that stated he was aware of an issue with the Extra EA300L fuel pickup tubes. According to his mechanic it is possible that during maintenance the fuel pickup tube can rotate upwards, preventing usable fuel from entering the line. However, there was only trace amounts of fuel found in the wing, and no maintenance records were provided to indicate when the fuel pickup line could have beenincorrectly positioned. The airplane’s engine monitoring device contained an SD memory card; the data were downloaded and sent to the National Transportation Safety Board’s (NTSB) Vehicle Recorder Division for readout. The total flight time was 16 minutes; during the last minutes of the flight, the fuel flow value dropped to zero for about 30 seconds, which was followed by a slight rise in fuel flow before the data ended. According to the emergency procedures section of the Extra 300L Pilot’s Operating Handbook, the following steps should be performed to restart the engine after an engine power loss in flight: Airspeed . . . . . . . . . . . 80 KIAS [knots indicated airspeed] Fuel shutoff valve . . . CENTER & ACRO Mixture . . . . . . . . . . . . RICH Boost pump . . . . . . . . ON Ignition switch . . . . . . BOTH