- Date
- July 4, 2009, 17:37 local (Jul 5, 2009, 00:37 UTC)
- Place
- Arlington, WA
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N432PNalis Glastar
- Defining event
- Initial climb: Fuel starvation
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report October 19, 2009
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Western Pacific Region
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20090704012559A
- Case key
- 74206
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
A total loss of engine power due to fuel starvation as a result of the pilot's failure to select the fullest tank prior to takeoff.
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 reported that the purpose of the flight was to practice touch-and-go landings. During the takeoff portion of a touch-and-go, about midway down the runway, the engine lost power. The pilot initiated a gentle left turn towards a vacant taxiway to initiate a forced landing. The pilot landed hard just short of the taxiway. The left wing was wrinkled, and the nose wheel and left main landing gear collapsed. The pilot stated that he had the incorrect fuel tank selected, and "the engine lost power due to fuel starvation." He also stated that prior to takeoff, one fuel tank had "little to no fuel" and "the other fuel tank was about half full." The pilot reported no mechanical anomalies with the engine or airframe prior to the accident.
Factual narrative
The pilot reported that the purpose of the flight was to practice touch-and-go landings. During the takeoff portion of a touch-and-go, about midway down the runway, the engine lost power. The pilot initiated a gentle left turn towards a vacant taxiway to initiate a forced landing. The pilot landed hard just short of the taxiway. The left wing was wrinkled, and the nose wheel and left main landing gear collapsed. The pilot stated he had the incorrect fuel tank selected, and "the engine lost power due to fuel starvation." He also stated that prior to takeoff, one fuel tank had "little to no fuel" and "the other fuel tank was about half full." The pilot reported no mechanical anomalies with the engine or airframe prior to the accident.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N432P
- Reported as
- Nalis Glastar
- Category
- Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- 5386
- Airframe hours
- 138
- Engine
- Ama/Expr Subaru, 160 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Peter G. Nalis
- Registered owner
- Peter G. Nalis
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · March 20, 2009 · 6 hours before
- Departed
- KAWO · Arlington, WA
- Destination
- KAWO · Arlington, WA
- Flight plan
- Unknown
- Airport
- KAWO · Arlington Municipal Airport, runway 34, 5,332 × 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
- 66
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 200 total · 138 in this make and model · 200 as pilot in command · 7 in the last 90 days · 3 in the last 30 days · 0 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 64 °F
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on August 19, 2009, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 697 KB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.