- Date
- October 10, 2016, 11:00 local (15:00 UTC)
- Place
- Ocala, FL
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N399DCAllen Robert RV6
- Defining event
- Enroute: Fuel exhaustion
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report December 15, 2016
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20161010017579A
- Case key
- 94204
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The pilot's improper fuel planning, which resulted in fuel exhaustion, a total loss of engine power, and a forced landing.
Findings · 4
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The pilot reported that he did not fill the fuel tanks before departing and while en-route the left fuel tank was exhausted and he switched to the right fuel tank. Upon reaching 3,000 feet during the descent to the destination airport, the right fuel tank was exhausted and the engine lost power. The pilot reported that when the engine lost power, the "fuel totalizer showed 30 minutes of fuel remaining, but both fuel level sender units read zero". The pilot reported that he realized the airplane would not glide to the intended airport and opted to land on a driveway at a local farm. During the forced landing the airplane struck wood and metal fence posts before the right main wheel dug into the grass and spun the airplane approximately 90 degrees to the right. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing spar. The pilot reported that there were no pre impact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
The pilot reported that he did not fill the fuel tanks before departing and while en-route the left fuel tank was exhausted and he switched to the right fuel tank. Upon reaching 3,000 feet during the descent to the destination airport, the right fuel tank was exhausted and the engine lost power. The pilot reported that when the engine lost power, the "fuel totalizer showed 30 minutes of fuel remaining, but both fuel level sender units read zero". The pilot reported that he realized the airplane would not glide to the intended airport and opted to land on a driveway at a local farm. During the forced landing the airplane struck wood and metal fence posts before the right main wheel dug into the grass and spun the airplane approximately 90 degrees to the right. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing spar. The pilot reported that there were no pre impact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N399DC
- Reported as
- Allen Robert RV6 (A)
- Category
- Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- 25129
- Built
- 1999
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320/E2A, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection
- Condition · December 1, 2015
- Departed
- SPA · Spartanburg, SC
- Destination
- X35 · Dunnellon, FL
- Equipment
- Electronic multifunction display, Auto-pilot, ADS-B, Electronic primary flight display, Onboard weather
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 23
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- September 29, 2016
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 373 total · 37 in this make and model · 338 as pilot in command · 65 in the last 90 days · 24 in the last 30 days · 6 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 30° at 10 knots, gusting 14
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Temperature
- 79 °F, dew point 57 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.20 inHg
- Observed at
- KOCF, 1 nm away
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on November 17, 2016, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 473 KB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.