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NTSB accident investigation · Air Creation Tanarg · Kailua-Kona, HI · March 20, 2019

Accident · Minor injuriesData collectionFinal report
Date
March 20, 2019, 10:00 local (19:00 UTC)
Place
Kailua-Kona, HI
Injuries
2 minor
Damage
Substantial damage
Phase of flight
Maneuvering
Aircraft
N912TJAir Creation Tanarg
Defining event
Maneuvering: Loss of engine power (total)
Weather
Visual (VMC) · Day
Status
Completed · report November 6, 2019
Report
Approved by Office Director
NTSB office
General Aviation Accidents
Parties
FAA
FAA report
20190320022829A
Case key
99184

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 a total loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion.

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.

Fluids: fuelAircraft › Fluids/misc hardware · Fluid levelAir Creation TANARG: 1 caseAll aircraft: 1,695 casesProbable cause
Planning/preparation: fuel planningPersonnel issues › Task performance · PilotAir Creation TANARG: 1 caseAll aircraft: 719 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 of the weight-shift-control aircraft reported that he departed with 6 gallons of fuel onboard the airplane and that he estimated that the fuel burn was 3 gallons per hour. He added that, during the flight, he performed multiple climbs and descents, and he believed the aircraft burned more fuel than usual. He added that, about 1 hour 15 minutes into the flight, the engine lost power. He restarted the engine momentarily, but it then lost power again. He attempted to restart the engine multiple times to no avail. During the forced landing, he attempted to land the aircraft on a field, but it impacted terrain about 15 yards short of the intended landing site. The aircraft sustained substantial damage to the fuselage. The pilot added that, after visiting the hospital, he went back to look at the aircraft and did not see any fuel in the fuel tank. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the aircraft that would have precluded normal operation.

Factual narrative

The pilot of the weight-shift control aircraft reported that he departed with 6 gallons of fuel and the estimated fuel burn was 3 gallons per hour. He added that, during the flight they performed multiple climbs and descents and he believed the aircraft burned more fuel than usual. He added that, about 1 hour and 15 minutes into the flight, the engine lost power. He restarted the engine momentarily, but then lost power again. He attempted to restart multiple times again, to no avail. During the forced landing, he attempted to land on a soccer field, but the aircraft impacted terrain about 15 yards short of the intended landing site. The aircraft sustained substantial damage to the fuselage. The pilot added that, after visiting the hospital, he went back to look at the aircraft and did not observe any fuel in the fuel tank. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the weight-shift control aircraft that would have precluded normal operation.

Aircraft

Registration
N912TJ
Reported as
Air Creation Tanarg
Category
Weight-shift
Serial number
T06113
Built
2006
Airframe hours
818
Engine
Rotax 912UL, 80 horsepower, reciprocating
Damage
Substantial damage
Flight
Personal · Part 91
Airworthiness certificate
Special, Experimental light sport (Special)
Last inspection
Annual · April 21, 2018
Departed
KOA · Kailua/Kona, HI
Destination
KOA · Kailua/Kona, HI
Equipment
Video recording device

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
45
Injuries
Minor
Certificates
Sport Pilot, Flight instructor
Medical
Sport pilot
Last flight review
March 16, 2018
Seat
Front
Restraint
Lap only
Flight hours
533 total · 420 in this make and model · 475 as pilot in command · 30 in the last 90 days · 10 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours

Weather

Conditions
Visual (VMC) · Day
Wind
250° at 8 knots
Visibility
10 statute miles
Temperature
77 °F, dew point 63 °F
Altimeter
30.05 inHg
Observed at
PHKO, 5 nm away

Docket · 3

The files NTSB released with the investigation on April 10, 2019, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 4.5 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.