GAA19CA067

NTSB accident investigation · Jabiru J230-SP · Center, TX · November 18, 2018

Accident · No injuriesData collectionFinal report
Date
November 18, 2018, 13:15 local (19:15 UTC)
Place
Center, TX
Injuries
2 uninjured
Damage
Substantial damage
Phase of flight
Enroute
Aircraft
N667JJabiru J230-SP
Defining event
Enroute: Loss of engine power (total)
Weather
Visual (VMC) · Day
Status
Completed · report September 26, 2019
Report
Approved by Office Director
NTSB office
General Aviation Accidents
Parties
FAA
FAA report
20181118024659I
Case key
98659

From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.

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Probable cause

The pilot's improper preflight fuel planning, which resulted in fuel exhaustion and a total loss of engine power.

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.

Planning/preparation: fuel planningPersonnel issues › Task performance · PilotJabiru USA Sport J230-SP: 1 caseAll aircraft: 719 casesProbable cause
Fluids: fuelAircraft › Fluids/misc hardware · Fluid levelJabiru USA Sport J230-SP: 1 caseAll aircraft: 1,695 casesProbable cause
Fuel system: fuel storageAircraft › Aircraft systems · Related operating infoJabiru USA Sport J230-SP: 1 caseAll aircraft: 60 casesProbable cause

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, before departure, he noted that a NOTAM stated that fuel was not available at the airport where he had landed and had planned to refuel but that he felt he had sufficient fuel onboard to continue to another airport to get fuel if necessary. He assessed his fuel quantity and departed the airport, and subsequently, the engine lost power. He pitched the nose down, and the engine regained power, but the pilot realized that the fuel supply was almost exhausted. He attempted to maintain power and altitude but eventually chose to land in a field. He selected a touchdown point and circled to land, but the airplane did not complete the turn before he had to level the wings. The airplane touched down gently but overran the intended landing area, collided with a drainage culvert, and nosed over. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the composite fuselage and windscreen.

Factual narrative

The pilot reported that prior to departure, he overlooked a NOTAM which identified that fuel was not available at the airport where he had landed and had planned to refuel. He assessed his fuel quantity and departed the airport, subsequently, the engine lost power. He pitched the nose down, the engine regained power, but the pilot realized that the fuel supply was all but exhausted. He attempted to maintain power and altitude, but eventually selected a field to land. He selected a touchdown point and circled to land, but the airplane did not complete the turn before he had to level the wings. The airplane touched down gently, but the airplane overran the intended landing area, collided with a drainage culvert, and nosed over. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the composite fuselage and the windscreen. The pilot determined that he had misinterpreted the manufacturer's pilot operating handbook's declaration of the airplane's total fuel capacity and the airplane's total useable fuel quantity.

Aircraft

Registration
N667J
Reported as
Jabiru J230-SP
Category
Airplane
Serial number
574
Built
2008
Airframe hours
490
Engine
Jabiru 3300A, 120 horsepower, reciprocating
Damage
Substantial damage
Flight
Personal · Part 91
Airworthiness certificate
Special, Special light-sport (Special)
Last inspection
Annual · June 1, 2018
Departed
3F3 · Mansfield, LA
Destination
F17 · Center, TX
Equipment
Electronic multifunction display, Electronic flight bag or handheld device, Auto-pilot, ADS-B, Electronic primary flight display

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
53
Injuries
None
Certificate
Sport Pilot
Airplane ratings
Single-engine land
Medical
Sport pilot, With waivers/limitations
Last flight review
October 30, 2017
Seat
Left
Restraint
3-point
Flight hours
196 total · 149 in this make and model · 151 as pilot in command · 23 in the last 90 days · 20 in the last 30 days

Weather

Conditions
Visual (VMC) · Day
Wind
320° at 11 knots
Visibility
10 statute miles
Temperature
57 °F, dew point 52 °F
Altimeter
30.18 inHg
Observed at
F17

Docket · 2

The files NTSB released with the investigation on June 26, 2019, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 4.6 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.

Other investigations on N667J · 1

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.