- Date
- April 5, 1991, 08:57 local (15:57 UTC)
- Place
- Mesa, AZ
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N93RBGlasair III SH-3R
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report May 3, 1993
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19910405008999A
- Case key
- 27159
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 mismanagement of the airplane's fuel supply by the pilot and his failure to select a fuel tank containing sufficient fuel for flight which resulted in fuel starvation.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
The certificated commercial pilot was in the final approach phase of landing when the engine quit. The pilot attempted to land in an adjacent field but was unable to make the landing spot due to his low altitude. The airplane struck trees and power lines and then struck a wall in a residential yard. Examination of the airplane by FAA personnel revealed that the main fuel tanks were empty. Some fuel remained in an auxiliary tank. The fuel selector was in the main tank position.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N93RB
- Reported as
- Glasair III SH-3R
- Category
- Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- 3148
- Airframe hours
- 46
- Engine
- Lycoming AEIO-540-K1A5, 300 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Fire
- On-Ground
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Robert Kirk
- Registered owner
- Raymond Batson & Robert Kirk
- Last inspection
- Unknown · January 2, 2000 · 10 hours before
- Departed
- FFZ · Mesa, AZ
- Airport
- FFZ · Falcon Field, runway 4, 5,100 × 100 ft, asphalt
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
- 40
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Expired
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 3,300 total · 250 in this make and model · 3,014 as pilot in command · 40 in the last 90 days · 15 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 20° at 9 knots
- Visibility
- 45 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- FFZ, 1 nm away
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.