- Date
- October 7, 2018, 18:40 local (22:40 UTC)
- Place
- Corry, PA
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N912RTitan Titan Tornado 912
- Defining event
- Enroute: Fuel exhaustion
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report April 8, 2019
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20181007019609A
- Case key
- 98456
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 preflight fuel planning, which resulted in fuel exhaustion and the subsequent total loss of engine power.
Findings · 2
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 departed with 14 gallons of fuel onboard the airplane. He added that he diverted to an airport 15 miles away from the destination airport due to ground fog, and while en route, about 2 hours 25 minutes after departure, the engine "died from lack of gas." Subsequently, he landed the airplane in a field. The pilot further reported that he estimated that the fuel tank had "maybe an 1/8 cup" and that a "tablespoon may be more accurate." The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing, left aileron, and empennage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
The pilot reported that he departed with 14 gallons of fuel. He added that he diverted to an airport 15 miles away from the destination airport due to ground fog and while enroute, about 2 hours and 25 minutes since departure the airplane engine "died from lack of gas". Subsequently, he landed off airport in a field. The pilot further reported that he estimated the fuel tank had "maybe an 1/8 cup", and that a "tablespoon may be more accurate". The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing, left aileron, and empennage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N912R
- Reported as
- Titan Titan Tornado 912 (Undesignat)
- Category
- Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- D00912SOHK0382
- Built
- 2004
- Airframe hours
- 360.3
- Engine
- Rotax 912, 100 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Condition · December 2, 2017
- Departed
- 8N1 · Bethel, PA
- Destination
- D88 · Sherman, NY
- Equipment
- None
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
- 30
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Sport Pilot
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Sport pilot
- Seat
- Front
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 97.6 total · 62 in this make and model · 53 as pilot in command
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 350° at 6 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 2,700 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 66 °F, dew point 64 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.28 inHg
- Observed at
- KJHW, 23 nm away
Docket · 4
The files NTSB released with the investigation on February 6, 2019, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 10.9 MB 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.