# NTSB SEA01LA053: Gibbs V-6 Stol, N230VG, Newberg, OR, February 25, 2001 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: February 25, 2001, 14:30 local (22:30 UTC) - Place: Newberg, OR - Coordinates: 45.320438, -122.980201 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=45.3204&lon=-122.9802&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Approach](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/500) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 5 uninjured - Status: Completed, report July 30, 2001 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: Portland FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 51817 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=SEA01LA053 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/51817/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/SEA01LA053 ## Probable cause the pilot's mismanagement of his available fuel, the fuel starvation of the engine, and the pilot's excessive rate of descent during the touchdown portion of a power-off forced landing. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of engine power(total) - nonmechanical, approach - vfr pattern - base turn - fuel management - inadequate, pilot in command (cause) - fluid,fuel - starvation (cause) - Hard landing, emergency landing - descent - excessive, pilot in command (cause) - landing gear,main gear - collapsed ## Analysis While en route, the pilot decided to burn the selected (right) tank down to two gallons. As he continued toward his destination, he forgot to switch to the other tank, and the right tank ran dry. During the attempted power-off forced landing that followed, the pilot landed hard, collapsing the main gear and substantially damaging the aircraft. ## Factual narrative On February 25, 2001, approximately 1430 Pacific standard time, an experimental Gibbs V-6 STOL, N230VG, experienced a gear collapse during a hard off-field forced landing near Chehalem Airstrip, Newberg, Oregon. The private pilot and his four passengers were not injured, but the aircraft, which is owned and operated by the pilot, sustained substantial damage. The 14 CFR Part 91 personal pleasure flight, which departed Toledo State Airport, Newport, Oregon, about 30 minutes earlier, was being operated in visual meteorological conditions. No flight plan had been filed. According to the pilot, he was planning to burn the right tank down to about two gallons and then switch to the other tank. While en route, he forgot to change the selector to the other tank, and as he turned base in the VFR pattern for Chehalem, the engine lost power and the propeller stopped turning. The pilot switched to the left tank, which was about one-half full, but was unable to get the engine started prior to reaching an altitude at which it was necessary to abandon the restart attempt and concentrate on making a forced landing. During the forced landing attempt, the pilot allowed the aircraft to descend into the ground at an excessive rate, resulting in a collapse of the main gear. A post-accident inspection of the right tank found that it was empty. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N230VG](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N230VG-2018-03-12), registration cancelled 2018-03-12, S/N 001, built 1999 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Gibbs V-6 STOL - Registry model: [Gibbs Vern L V6 STOL](https://openairdocs.org/model/gibbs-vern-l-v6-stol) (registry code 05626Z6) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Amateur-built UNKNOWN ENG](https://openairdocs.org/engine/amateur-built-unknown-eng) (registry code 99999) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane, amateur-built - Serial number: 001 - Airframe hours: 116 - Engines: Ford 3.8 Liter V-6 190 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: Vern L. Gibbs - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special) - Last inspection: Annual, January 21, 2001, 5 hours before - Departed: 5S4, Newport, OR - Destination: 17S, Newberg, OR ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 47; injuries: none; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; last flight review June 22, 1999; seat: left; flight hours: 295 total, 116 in this make and model, 295 as pilot in command, 33 in the last 90 days, 12 in the last 30 days, 3 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: calm - Visibility: 20 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 50 °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 20010225001639A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20010225001639A), Feb 25, 2001: Amtr V6STOL, Newberg, OR, No damage. (-19)On February 25, 2001, approx. 1420 PST, an experimental gibbs V-6 stol, N230VG, experienced a hard landing during an off-field forced landing near… 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.