# NTSB WPR15LA123: Goudie Fisher Classic, N417LG, Redlands, CA, March 3, 2015 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Minor injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: March 3, 2015, 12:15 local (20:15 UTC) - Place: Redlands, CA - Coordinates: 34.084445, -117.141113 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=34.0844&lon=-117.1411&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Enroute-cruise: Loss of engine power (total)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341) - Highest injury: Minor injuries - Injuries: 1 minor - Status: Completed, report August 25, 2015 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Western Pacific Region - Parties: Federal Aviation Administration - NTSB case key (mKey): 90827 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=WPR15LA123 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/90827/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=90827 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR15LA123 ## Probable cause A loss of engine power due to fuel starvation. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's inadequate planning for the test flight, which resulted in insufficient altitude and no suitable place to land in the event of an emergency. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Fluids: fuel](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071010): Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware · Fluid management (probable cause); cases with it: [Goudie Lawernce A FISHER CLASSIC, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071010/cases.md?model=05632DC), [All aircraft, 1,695 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071010/cases.md) - [Planning/preparation](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02061000): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Goudie Lawernce A FISHER CLASSIC, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02061000/cases.md?model=05632DC), [All aircraft, 113 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02061000/cases.md) - [Fluids: fuel](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071010): Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware · Fluid level (probable cause); cases with it: [Goudie Lawernce A FISHER CLASSIC, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071010/cases.md?model=05632DC), [All aircraft, 1,695 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071010/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Enroute-cruise: Fuel starvation](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/191); cases with it: [Goudie Lawernce A FISHER CLASSIC, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/191/sequence.md?model=05632DC), [All aircraft, 733 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/191/sequence.md) - [Enroute-cruise: Loss of engine power (total)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341) (defining event); cases with it: [Goudie Lawernce A FISHER CLASSIC, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341/sequence.md?model=05632DC), [All aircraft, 3,820 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341/sequence.md) - [Landing: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [Goudie Lawernce A FISHER CLASSIC, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md?model=05632DC), [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md) ## Analysis The pilot reported that the purpose of the flight was to determine how much unusable fuel was in the experimental amateur-built airplane's fuel tanks. The airplane took off with a full header tank and only 1 gallon of fuel in each wing tank. After takeoff, the pilot climbed the airplane to about 3,500 ft, and, about 3 miles from the airport, he switched from the header tank to the right fuel tank. Shortly after, the engine suddenly stopped, and the propeller stopped turning. The pilot quickly switched back to the header tank. Since the airplane was not equipped with a starter, the pilot initiated a dive to attempt to get the propeller spinning but was unsuccessful; he could not restart the engine. The pilot leveled the airplane to attain its best glide speed and proceeded toward a road. He subsequently landed the airplane on a rocky riverbank short of the road. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical failures or malfunctions with the engine or airframe that would have precluded normal operation. The pilot further reported that he should have considered the possibility that the engine might stop and that he should have flown the airplane at a higher altitude and remained closer to the airport where he could have made a dead-stick landing if necessary. ## Factual narrative On March 3, 2015, about 1215 Pacific standard time, an amateur built Goudie Fisher Classic, N417LG, experienced a complete loss of engine power and the pilot initiated a landing in a field near the Redlands Municipal Airport (REI), Redlands, California. The pilot (sole occupant) sustained minor injuries, and the airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing. The airplane was registered to and operated by the pilot under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 91 as a personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed. The flight originated from REI at about 1145. The pilot reported that he had completed the 40 hours of flight test for the newly built experimental airplane. The purpose of the flight was to determine how much unusable fuel was in the two wing tanks and the single header tank. The pilot took off on the full header tank and with only 1 gallon of fuel in each wing tank. The pilot climbed to about 3,500 feet, and when about 3 miles away from the airport, he switched from the header tank to the right fuel tank. After a short time, the engine suddenly stopped and the propeller stopped turning. He quickly switched back to the header tank, but the engine did not restart. Since the airplane was not equipped with a starter, the pilot initiated a dive to attempt to get the propeller spinning, but was unsuccessful. The pilot leveled the airplane to best glide speed and proceeded towards an old paved road. The airplane landed short of the road and onto a rocky riverbank. The pilot further reported that he should have considered the possibility of the engine stopping and should have been at a higher altitude and remained closer to the airport where he could have made a dead stick landing at the airport if necessary. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical failures or malfunctions with the engine or airframe that would have precluded normal operation. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N417LG](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N417LG-2018-02-13), registration cancelled 2018-02-13, S/N C0145, built 2013 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: GOUDIE FISHER CLASSIC - Registry model: [Goudie Lawernce A FISHER CLASSIC](https://openairdocs.org/model/goudie-lawernce-a-fisher-classic) (registry code 05632DC) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Continental A-80-8](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-a-80-8) (registry code 17399, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane, amateur-built - Serial number: C0145 - Year built: 2013 - Airframe hours: 47 - Engines: Continental Motors A-80-8 80 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Flight test, Part 91 - Operator: Goudie Lawrence A - Registered owner: Goudie Lawrence A - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special) - Last inspection: Condition, October 27, 2014, 10 hours before - Departed: REI, Redlands, CA - Destination: REI, Redlands, CA ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 79; injuries: minor; commercial, sport pilot; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine sea, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: sport pilot, with waivers/limitations; last flight review March 30, 2013; seat: rear; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 1,924 total, 47 in this make and model, 1,239 as pilot in command, 6 in the last 90 days, 3 in the last 30 days, 1 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: variable at 2 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 61 °F, dew point 36 °F - Altimeter: 29.89 inHg - Observed at: RIV, 13 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 (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20150303003549A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20150303003549A), Mar 3, 2015: Goudie Lawernce A FISHER CLASSIC, Redlands, CA, Substantial damage. Aircraft engine power failure. Unknown cause. Emergency off-airport landing resulted in serious injury to the pilot (lone occupant) and substantial damage to… ## Docket (1 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on June 12, 2015, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=90827. 1.7 MB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 1.7 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40427822&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Redacted.PDF 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.