# NTSB ERA21LA228: Robert Trembly JA20 Highlander, N743BT, Central City, KY, May 20, 2021

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Minor injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report
- Date: May 20, 2021, 13:00 local (18:00 UTC)
- Place: Central City, KY · Soy Bean Field
- Coordinates: 37.2939, -87.1233 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=37.2939&lon=-87.1233&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Defining event: [Enroute-cruise: 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 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office: Eastern Region Aviation
- Parties: FAA/FSDO
- NTSB case key (mKey): 103132
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ERA21LA228
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/103132/pdf
- NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=103132
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA21LA228

## Probable cause

The pilot’s failure to properly secure the left wing fuel cap before flight, which resulted in a loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion.

## 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 · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Robert Trembly JA20 HIGHLANDER, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02061510/cases.md?model=05638JD), [All aircraft, 551 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02061510/cases.md)
- [Fuel system: fuel storage](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01022810): Aircraft › Aircraft systems · Inadequate inspection (probable cause); cases with it: [Robert Trembly JA20 HIGHLANDER, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01022810/cases.md?model=05638JD), [All aircraft, 60 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01022810/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: Aircraft inspection event](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/050); cases with it: [Robert Trembly JA20 HIGHLANDER, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/050/sequence.md?model=05638JD), [All aircraft, 229 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/050/sequence.md)
- [Enroute-cruise: Fuel exhaustion](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/192) (defining event); cases with it: [Robert Trembly JA20 HIGHLANDER, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/192/sequence.md?model=05638JD), [All aircraft, 804 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/192/sequence.md)
- [Landing-landing roll: Nose over/nose down](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/096); cases with it: [Robert Trembly JA20 HIGHLANDER, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/096/sequence.md?model=05638JD), [All aircraft, 2,287 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/096/sequence.md)

## Analysis

The pilot had just purchased fuel at a self-serve gas pump prior to departure on a cross country flight. About an hour after he departed, the engine stopped producing power and he made a forced landing to a soybean field. The airplane’s nose gear collapsed, and the airplane flipped over on to its back resulting in substantial damage to the left and right wings. The pilot reported that following the accident, the left-wing fuel cap was missing and that neither fuel tank contained any fuel. While the pilot said that he replaced both fuel caps after he fueled the airplane, the left wing fuel cap was later found next to the gas pump where he pumped the fuel. A functional test of the cap revealed that it fit securely to the left-wing fuel port. As a result, it is most likely that the pilot failed to properly install the left-wing fuel cap after refueling the airplane, which resulted in loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion in-flight.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N743BT](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N743BT-2022-07-30), registration cancelled 2022-07-30, S/N JA469-10-15, built 2019 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: ROBERT TREMBLY JA20 HIGHLANDER
- Registry model: [Robert Trembly JA20 HIGHLANDER](https://openairdocs.org/model/robert-trembly-ja20-highlander) (registry code 05638JD) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Rotax 912ULS series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/rotax-912uls-series) (registry code 55572, 4 cycle) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: JA469-10-15
- Year built: 2019
- Airframe hours: 140.5
- Engines: ROTAX 912ULS 100 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Personal, Part 91
- Operator: Trembly Robert
- Registered owner: Trembly Robert
- Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection: Annual, December 10, 2020, 30.5 hours before
- Departed: BWG, Bowling Green, KY
- Destination: MVN, Mt. Vernon, IL
- Flight plan: VFR
- Airport: None
- Equipment: ADS-B, Electronic multifunction display, Electronic primary flight display, Onboard weather

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 77; injuries: minor; sport pilot; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: sport pilot; last flight review October 18, 2020; seat: left; restraint: 4-point; flight hours: 483 total, 483 in this make and model, 453 as pilot in command, 17 in the last 90 days, 17 in the last 30 days, 4.5 in the last 24 hours

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 170° at 15 knots, gusting 20
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Temperature: 60 °F
- Observed at: BWG, 90 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 20210520009609A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20210520009609A), May 20, 2021: Robert Trembly JA20 HIGHLANDER, Central City, KY, Substantial damage. The pilot had planned a flight from kceu to kmtv with a planned fuel stop at kbwg. He stopped at bwg as planned and, according to the receipt, added 10.5…

## Docket (5 files)

The files NTSB released with the investigation on August 27, 2021, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=103132. 8.7 MB in all.

- Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 9 pages, 550 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=12542376&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=NTSB%206120%20-%20Trembley_Redacted-Rel.pdf
- Photos (item 2, PDF, 4 pages, 4 photos, 967 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=12625813&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Photo%20Array%20Central%20KY-Rel.pdf
- Video file - when fuel cap was found at bwg (item 3, MOV, 6.4 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=12542432&FileExtension=mov&FileName=IMG_0194%20Finding%20the%20Fuel%20Cap-Rel.mov
- NTSB investigator fuel cap examination/test (item 4, PDF, 1 page, 194 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=12626640&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=ERA21LA228%20Fuel%20Cap%20Examination%20Report-Rel.pdf
- Fuel receipt (item 5, PDF, 1 page, 550 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=12542442&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=NTSB%206120%20-%20Trembley_Redacted-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.

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