# NTSB WPR22LA203: Czech Sport Aircraft A S Sportcruiser, N565L, Hillsboro, OR, June 7, 2022 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 3 · Limited · Final report - Date: June 7, 2022, 16:47 local (23:47 UTC) - Place: Hillsboro, OR · End of runway - Coordinates: 45.550989, -122.96088 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=45.5510&lon=-122.9609&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Initial climb](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/350) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Initial climb: Fuel contamination](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/193) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed - Report: Approved by Office Director - Investigation class: Class 3 - NTSB office: Western Pacific Region - Parties: Federal Aviation Administration FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 105220 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=WPR22LA203 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/105220/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=105220 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR22LA203 ## Probable cause A missing fuel filler cap O-ring, which resulted in a total loss of engine power due to water contamination in the fuel. ## 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 condition (probable cause); cases with it: [Czech Sport Aircraft A S SPORTCRUISER, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071010/cases.md?model=0600066), [All aircraft, 1,695 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071010/cases.md) - [Fuel system: fuel storage](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01022810): Aircraft › Aircraft systems · Damaged/degraded (probable cause); cases with it: [Czech Sport Aircraft A S SPORTCRUISER, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01022810/cases.md?model=0600066), [All aircraft, 60 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01022810/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Initial climb: Loss of engine power (total)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341); cases with it: [Czech Sport Aircraft A S SPORTCRUISER, 4 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341/sequence.md?model=0600066), [All aircraft, 3,820 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341/sequence.md) - [Initial climb: Fuel contamination](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/193) (defining event); cases with it: [Czech Sport Aircraft A S SPORTCRUISER, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/193/sequence.md?model=0600066), [All aircraft, 225 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/193/sequence.md) - [Initial climb: Off-field or emergency landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440); cases with it: [Czech Sport Aircraft A S SPORTCRUISER, 3 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440/sequence.md?model=0600066), [All aircraft, 3,365 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440/sequence.md) - [Landing-flare/touchdown: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [Czech Sport Aircraft A S SPORTCRUISER, 5 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md?model=0600066), [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md) ## Analysis Shortly after takeoff, having reached an altitude of between 100 to 200 ft above ground level, the airplane’s engine lost total power. The pilot then switched from the left to the right fuel tank and verified that the fuel pump was on. With limited time to troubleshoot and at an altitude too low to deploy the ballistic recovery parachute, he performed a forced landing directly ahead. The airplane struck a fence and sustained substantial damage. The airplane had been parked outside and not flown for about 6 weeks before the accident. During this time, it had been moved from its usual paved tie-down location to a temporary grass tie-down location and, several rain showers had passed through the area. Following the accident, 6 ounces of water were found in the left (takeoff) fuel tank, and the entire fuel system was found to be contaminated with water. Examination revealed that the water likely entered the left tank through the fuel filler cap, which was missing its O-ring seal. Although the pilot drained fuel from the left-wing sump before engine start, he may not have observed any water as the airplane was parked on an uneven grass surface, which may have resulted in the water settling away from the sump drain. Another possibility is that so much water was present that the pilot’s sump container was full of only water, which he misidentified as fuel rather than the globules of water typically observed during sumping operations. ## Factual narrative On June 7, 2022, about 1645 Pacific daylight time, a Czech Sport Aircraft SportCruiser, N565L, sustained substantial damage when it was involved in an accident in Hillsboro, Oregon. The pilot and passenger were not injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. The airplane had not been flown in about 6 weeks, and during that period, there had been multiple rain showers in the area. Also, due to an airshow that took place about 3 weeks before the accident, the airplane had been moved from its normal tie-down location on the ramp to a temporary grass-surfaced tie-down location. The pilot/owner stated that, after completing a normal preflight check, which included sumping both fuel tank drains and the gascolator, he taxied to the other side of the airport and shutdown the engine to pick up a passenger. After the passenger boarded, he restarted the engine and performed an engine run-up. Takeoff was normal, and after rotation the airplane accelerated in ground effect and began to climb. After reaching an altitude of between 100 to 200 ft above ground level, the engine’s tone changed before it lost all power. The pilot verified that the fuel pump was on, switched the fuel selector valve from the left to the right tank, and attempted an engine restart. The engine did not restart, and with insufficient altitude to operate the ballistic recovery parachute, he performed a forced landing straight ahead just beyond the departure end of the runway. The airplane struck a fence, which resulted in substantial damage to the center fuselage, both wings, and the vertical stabilizer. The airplane’s fuel system had a history of water contamination, such that at the last annual inspection, about 10 weeks before the accident, the gascolator, the carburetor bowls, and the left-wing fuel tank sump drain were replaced due to corrosion. The mechanic who performed the work stated that he was unable to determine the source of the water and presumed it was the result of a contaminated batch of fuel. Postaccident examination revealed that the left fuel tank contained about 6 ounces of water. The gascolator was half full of water, and the carburetor fuel bowls were about equally full of fuel and water. Although no fuel was observed in the gascolator, it had a faint smell of aviation gasoline. The fuel filler cap on the left tank was missing its O-ring seal. The mechanic who performed the annual inspection stated that the O-ring was there at the time of inspection, and the pilot reported that he did not recall the condition of the fuel filler cap O-rings. The left fuel tank was opened; its surface was flat, with no evidence of high or low spots that could have kept water away from the sump drain. The tank exhibited evidence of corrosion consistent with water contamination. When informed of these findings, the pilot reaffirmed that he sumped the drains before starting the engine. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N565L](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N565L-2023-08-23), registration cancelled 2023-08-23, S/N C0486, built 2013 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: CZECH SPORT AIRCRAFT A S SPORTCRUISER - Registry model: [Czech Sport Aircraft A S SPORTCRUISER](https://openairdocs.org/model/czech-sport-aircraft-a-s-sportcruiser) (registry code 0600066) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Rotax 912ULS series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/rotax-912uls-series) (registry code 55572, 4 cycle) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: C0486 - Year built: 2013 - Airframe hours: 3195.3 - Engines: Rotax 912ULS2 100 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Special light-sport (Special) - Last inspection: Annual, March 24, 2022, 12 hours before - Destination: BFI, Seattle, WA - Airport: HIO, Portland-Hillsboro, runway 31L, 6,600 × 150 ft, asphalt - Equipment: Airframe parachute, ADS-B, Electronic primary flight display, Electronic multifunction display, Auto-pilot, Data recorder ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 33; injuries: none; sport pilot; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: sport pilot; last flight review February 22, 2021; seat: left; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 205.9 total, 175.9 in this make and model, 130 as pilot in command, 11.9 in the last 90 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 260° at 5 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 72 °F, dew point 50 °F - Altimeter: 29.91 inHg - Observed at: KHIO, 0.5 nm away - METAR: KHIO 072353Z 26005KT 10SM CLR 22/10 A2991 RMK AO2 SLP128 T02170100 10222 20189 50002 ## 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 20220607012329A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20220607012329A), Jun 7, 2022: Czech Sport Aircraft A S SPORTCRUISER, Hillsboro, OR, Substantial damage. 06/07/2022 Pilot interview. I preflighted aircraft. Sump both tanks and engine filter. Preflight was normal no contamination of fuel. Aircraft was parked on… ## Docket (8 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on April 10, 2024, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=105220. 9.6 MB in all. - Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 9 pages, 3.7 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=14883269&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=r_6120_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Pilot and mechanic memorandum of record (item 2, PDF, 5 pages, 726 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=16066405&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Memos-Rel.pdf - NTSB examination report (item 3, PDF, 13 pages, 2.7 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=16066292&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Exam%20Report-Rel.pdf - NTSB examination report - attachment 1 (item 4, PDF, 2 pages, 311 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=14883686&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Attachment%201-Rel.pdf - Data recovered from dynon skyview unit (item 5, CSV, 490 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=14883992&FileExtension=csv&FileName=Dynon%20accident%20data-Rel.csv - Maintenance logbook excerpts (item 6, PDF, 1 page, 738 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=14883368&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=r_Airframe%203_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Release of aircraft wreckage, NTSB form 6120.15 (item 7, PDF, 1 page, 348 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=14887194&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=r_Release-of-Wreckage-N565L%20dtd%2020221220_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Photo (item 8, PDF, 1 page, 1 photo, 583 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=14887009&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Photo%201-Rel.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.