# NTSB LAX00LA307: Hickey SE5-A, N596, San Bernardino, CA, August 19, 2000 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: August 19, 2000, 12:00 local (19:00 UTC) - Place: San Bernardino, CA - Coordinates: 34.100688, -117.28936 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=34.1007&lon=-117.2894&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report November 1, 2001 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 50042 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=LAX00LA307 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/50042/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX00LA307 ## Probable cause the pilot's inadequate preflight inspection, and his failure to verify adequate fuel for the planned flight, which resulted in a loss of engine power with no suitable forced landing site. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of engine power(total) - nonmechanical, cruise - fluid,fuel - exhaustion (cause) - aircraft preflight - inadequate (cause) - fuel supply - not verified (cause) - Forced landing, cruise - normal - terrain condition - none suitable - On ground/water collision with object, emergency landing - object - tree(s) ## Analysis The pilot departed in his homebuilt experimental airplane on a cross-country flight with an estimated 6 to 8 gallons of fuel. In his written statement he said that he should have verified the quantity of fuel with the use of a rod or wood stick. ## Factual narrative On August 19, 2000, at 1200 hours Pacific daylight time, a homebuilt experimental 1917 Hickey replica, SE5-A, N596, was substantially damaged during an off-airport landing at San Bernardino, California. The private pilot/operator was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the personal flight operating under 14 CFR Part 91, and no flight plan was filed. The flight originated at Redlands, California, about 1140, and was destined for La Verne, California. Prior to the arrival of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector, the pilot stated to police and fire department personnel that he had run out of fuel. According to the FAA inspector, 10 gallons of fuel had been added to the fuel tank before he arrived on scene, and the pilot was planning on flying the airplane from the golf course. The pilot reported that he had departed with 6 to 8 gallons of fuel. He estimated the quantity by looking at the fuel indicator. He said the he should have verified the fuel with the use of a rod or wood stick. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N596](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N596-2013-02-08), registration cancelled 2013-02-08, S/N 072041, built 1974 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Hickey SE5-A - Registry model: [Hickey 1917 SE5-A REPLICA](https://openairdocs.org/model/hickey-1917-se5-a-replica) (registry code 0562509) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming 0-235 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-235-series) (registry code 41505, 4 cycle) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane, amateur-built - Airframe hours: 500 - Engines: Lycoming O-235 105 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: Jeffrey T. Ying - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special) - Last inspection: Annual, December 6, 1999, 4 hours before - Departed: L12, REDLANDS, CA - Destination: POC, LA VERNE, CA ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 45; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 3, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; seat: center; flight hours: 720 total, 40 in this make and model, 700 as pilot in command, 33 in the last 90 days, 8 in the last 30 days, 2 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Visibility: 30 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 185 °F ## 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 20000819012189A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20000819012189A), Aug 19, 2000: Amtr SE5AREPLICA, San Bernardino, CA, Substantial damage. (-23) Pilot stated that while enroute from brackett airport to redlands airport the engine began to run rough. Suspecting that he was experiencing a fuel… ## Other investigations on N596 (1) 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. - [NTSB LAX76DUK08](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX76DUK08), Sep 12, 1976: Hickey SE5A (N596), Phoenix, AZ, substantial damage 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. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.