- Date
- July 13, 2008, 19:58 local (23:58 UTC)
- Place
- Windslow Twp, NJ
- Injuries
- 1 minor, 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N2785AQuad City Ultralight Challenger II
- Defining event
- Enroute-cruise: Fuel exhaustion
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Dusk
- Status
- Completed · report September 26, 2008
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- FAA/FSDO
- FAA report
- 20080713840939A
- Case key
- 68437
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 pilot's inaccurate fuel consumption calculations which led to fuel exhaustion and subsequent loss of engine power.
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.
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 incorrectly calculated the fuel consumption for the planned flight to be 3.3 gallons per hour (gph), instead of 5.4 gph as referenced in the operator's manual. After takeoff with a full 10-gallon fuel tank, the pilot flew for approximately 1 hour then turned to return. At that time the fuel gauge showed "1/2" tank. During the return leg, the pilot noticed the fuel quantity gauge was indicating approximately "1/4" tank. He diverted towards a nearby airport, but the engine experienced a total loss of engine power. While descending for the forced landing, the airplane collided with a tree. Examination of the wreckage revealed that the fuel tank remained intact and was absent of fuel.
Factual narrative
The pilot stated that he filled the amateur-built Challenger II airplane's 10-gallon fuel tank before departure, and he uses approximately 3.3 gallons per hour (gph) in his fuel consumption calculations. After takeoff, he flew for about 1 hour, and then elected to return to the departure airport. At that time, the fuel quantity gauge indicated "1/2" remaining. The flight continued, and at an unknown time, the fuel quantity gauge indicated "1/4" remaining. He diverted towards a nearby airport, but the engine experienced total loss of engine power. While descending for a forced landing, the airplane collided with a tree. Examination of the airplane by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector revealed the fuel tank was empty. It was not breached and there was no evidence of fuel leakage. The Rotax "Operators Manual" indicates fuel consumption to be 7.0 and 5.4 gph at takeoff and 75 percent continuous power, respectively.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N2785A
- Reported as
- Quad City Ultralight Challenger II
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- CH 21293-1067
- Airframe hours
- 131
- Engine
- Rotax 582 DCDI, 65 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Ronald Miller
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection
- Condition · December 1, 2007 · 6 hours before
- Departed
- N14 · Lumberton, NJ
- Destination
- N14 · Lumberton, NJ
- Airport
- 19N · Camden County Airport
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
- 70
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine sea, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 4,010 total · 65 in this make and model · 3,875 as pilot in command · 6 in the last 90 days · 6 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Dusk
- Wind
- Variable at 4 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 81 °F, dew point 68 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.76 inHg
- Observed at
- VAY, 11 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.