- Date
- December 28, 2007, 11:30 local (19:30 UTC)
- Place
- Murrieta, CA
- Injuries
- 1 serious
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N365SXHein Sonex
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report December 24, 2008
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20071228830099A
- Case key
- 67318
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 loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion. Contributing to the accident was the lack of suitable terrain for the forced landing.
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 pilot reported that during cruise flight, the engine lost power. The pilot was able to restart the engine momentarily before it lost power a second time as he initiated a forced landing to an open field. During the landing roll, the right main landing gear encountered a hole and the airplane nosed over. Examination of the airplane by a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector revealed structural damage to the horizontal stabilizer and rudder. No evidence of fuel was observed on the ground surrounding the airplane or leaking from the airplane. No fuel was observed within the airframe fuel sump. The pilot reported to local law enforcement shortly after the accident that he "believes he possibly ran out of fuel."
Factual narrative
On December 28, 2007, about 1130 Pacific standard time, an amateur built Hein Sonex experimental airplane, N365SX, made a forced landing following a loss of engine power while maneuvering near Murrieta, California. The airplane was registered to, and operated by, the pilot under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. The private pilot, the sole occupant of the aircraft, was seriously injured. The airplane was substantially damaged. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the personal flight. The personal flight originated from the Flabob Airport (RIR), Riverside, California, at 0930.
In a written statement, the pilot reported that after a non eventful flight, he descended from 6,500 feet mean sea level (msl) to 3,500 feet msl. A few minutes later, the engine lost power. The pilot stated he was able to restart the engine momentarily but it lost power a second time. He initiated a forced landing to a nearby open field. During the landing roll, the right main landing gear struck a hole and the airplane nosed over. The pilot added that prior to departure, he refueled the airplane with 100 low lead fuel until he could "touch the gas with his finger."
Examination of the airplane by a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector revealed that the airplane came to rest inverted within an open field. The horizontal stabilizer and rudder were structurally damaged. The inspector stated that there was no evidence of fuel on the ground at the accident site or leaking from the airplane. No fuel was observed in the airframe fuel sump.
According to a Murrieta Police Department deputy, shortly after the accident, the pilot stated that he "believes he possibly ran out of fuel."
Aircraft
- Registration
- N365SX
- Reported as
- Hein Sonex
- Category
- Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- 365
- Airframe hours
- 11.5
- Engine
- Jabiru 3300, 120 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental light sport (Special)
- Last inspection
- Continuous airworthiness · December 20, 2007 · 0.5 hours before
- Departed
- RIR · Riverside, CA
- Destination
- RIR
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
- 74
- Injuries
- Serious
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Unknown
- Last flight review
- June 19, 2007
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 250 total · 20 in this make and model · 250 as pilot in command
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 30° at 3 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 52 °F, dew point 12 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.14 inHg
- Observed at
- RIV, 19 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.