# NTSB MIA00LA156: Asselyn CH701, N942PS, Wake Forrest, NC, May 14, 2000 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: May 14, 2000, 19:45 local (23:45 UTC) - Place: Wake Forrest, NC - Coordinates: 35.970851, -78.51918 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=35.9709&lon=-78.5192&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed, report December 4, 2000 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 49186 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=MIA00LA156 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/49186/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA00LA156 ## Probable cause The pilot's improper fuel management during a cross country flight resulting in a loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion, and his failure to achieve the proper touchdown point during a forced landing. This resulted in the pilot forcing the airplane onto the ground hard, and subsequent separation of the landing gear. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of engine power, cruise - fluid,fuel - exhaustion - fuel consumption calculations - inaccurate, pilot in command (cause) - Forced landing, descent - emergency - Hard landing, descent - emergency - proper touchdown point - not obtained, pilot in command (cause) ## Analysis The pilot was conducting a cross country flight with several intermediate stops. He was in cruise flight at 1,500 feet on the last leg of the flight when the airplane sustained a reduction in engine power. He started a left 360-degree turn in preparation for a forced landing, the engine power came back and decreased again. At the 180-degree point in the turn he observed a better forced landing area, he lowered the nose and the power increased again. He reduced the power to the idle position, turned the ignition switch off, applied flaps and started a left slip in order to reach the forced landing area. The airplane was fast and he was concerned about trees at the edge of the forced landing area. He forced the airplane onto the ground hard separating the landing gear, the airplane turned to the left and the right wing tip collided with the ground. Examination of the fuel tank by the pilot revealed no fuel was present in the fuel tank. The pilot stated the fuel burn was this flight was significantly higher than the projected burn which caused the engine to die from fuel starvation. ## Factual narrative On May 14, 2000, at about 1945 eastern daylight time, an Asselyn CH701, N942PS, registered to a private owner, operating as a 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight, experienced a total loss of engine power in cruise flight in the vicinity of Wake Forrest, North Carolina. The pilot made a forced landing to an open field and crashed after making a hard landing. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed. The airplane sustained substantial damage. The private pilot and one passenger reported no injuries. The flight originated from Knightdale, North Carolina (9NCO), about 18 minutes before the accident. The pilot stated he departed Louisburg, North Carolina , (LHZ) at 1810, VFR to a private strip (Lake Ridge Aero located in the vicinity of Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina, (W65) arriving at 1850. At 1855, he departed W65 en route to 9NCO, arriving at 1925. At 1927, he departed 9NCO, en route to (LHZ). He was in cruise flight at 1,500 feet when the airplane sustained a reduction in engine power. He started a left 360-degree turn in preparation for a forced landing, the engine power came back, and the power decreased again. At about the 180-degree point, he observed a better forced landing area, he lowered the nose and the power increased again. He reduced the throttle to the idle position, turned the ignition switch off, applied flaps and started a left slip in order to reach the forced landing area. The airplane was fast, and he was concerned about trees at the edge of the forced landing area. He forced the airplane on the ground landing hard, the main gear and nose gear separated, the airplane turned to the left and the right wing tip collided with the ground. He and the passenger exited the airplane, started walking toward a house and were met by the property owner. They returned to the airplane a short time later to remove personal belongings. The pilot opened the fuel tank and observed no fuel, and stated the loss of engine power was due to fuel exhaustion. The pilot stated in the NTSB Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, "The fact that for this flight the tank was full at departure (10 gallons, 9.5 usable) and empty upon landing, the fuel burn for this trip was 6.25 gallons per hour, significantly higher than the projected burn, and significantly higher than any recorded fuel burn for this plane. I believe this indicates that there were some abnormal circumstance that caused the fuel burn to be unusually high, which was the cause for the engine to die from fuel starvation." Examination of the airplane by the FAA revealed no fuel was found in either fuel tank. The pilot informed the FAA that he only topped off one fuel tank and stated that he believed that he ran out of fuel. (For additional information see FAA Accident/Incident Report an attachment to this report.) ## Aircraft - Registration: [N942PS](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N942PS-2002-04-18), registration cancelled 2002-04-18, S/N 7-1568 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Asselyn CH701 - Registry model: [Asselyn Philip Peter CH-701](https://openairdocs.org/model/asselyn-philip-peter-ch-701) (registry code 05649CP) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane, amateur-built - Serial number: 7-1568 - Airframe hours: 444 - Engines: Rotax 582UL 65 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: Stephen A. Danielson - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special) - Last inspection: Annual, June 28, 1999, 20 hours before - Departed: 9NCO, KNIGHTDALE, NC - Destination: NA, WAKE FORREST, NC ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 31; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; seat: left; flight hours: 109 total, 32 in this make and model, 82 as pilot in command, 10 in the last 90 days, 6 in the last 30 days, 2 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 0° at 4 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 25,000 ft broken - Temperature: 73 °F, dew point 50 °F - Altimeter: 30.00 inHg - Observed at: RDU ## 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 20000514015929A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20000514015929A), May 14, 2000: Amtr CH701, Wake Forrest, NC, Substantial damage. (.4) The pilot was conducting a cross country flight with sever al intermediate stops. He was in cruise flight at 1,500 feet on the last leg of the flight when… ## Other investigations on N942PS (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 BFO93LA042](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/BFO93LA042), Mar 3, 1993: Asselyn Xenair CH701 (N942PS), Durham, ME, substantial damage. Probable cause: THE PILOT'S INADEQUATE COMPENSATION FOR WIND CONDITIONS AND FAILURE TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL AFTER LIFT-OFF. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE UNFAVORABLE WIND CONDITION AND PROXIMITY… 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.