# NTSB WPR23LA074: Royse Ralph L Glasair, N9YA, Cottonwood, CA, December 17, 2022 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Minor injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report - Date: December 17, 2022, 11:00 local (19:00 UTC) - Place: Cottonwood, CA - Coordinates: 40.342991, -122.33936 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=40.3430&lon=-122.3394&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Takeoff](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/300) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Takeoff: Fuel starvation](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/191) - Highest injury: Minor injuries - Injuries: 1 minor - Status: Completed - Report: Approved by Office Director - Investigation class: Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish - NTSB office: Western Pacific Region - Parties: Federal Aviation Administration - NTSB case key (mKey): 106496 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=WPR23LA074 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/106496/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=106496 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR23LA074 ## Probable cause The pilot’s fuel mismanagement which resulted in fuel starvation and a total loss of engine power. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Action: incorrect action selection](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041010): Personnel issues › Action/decision · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Royse Ralph L GLASAIR, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041010/cases.md?model=05655TZ), [All aircraft, 397 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041010/cases.md) - [Use of equip/info: use of policy/procedure](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063032): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Royse Ralph L GLASAIR, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063032/cases.md?model=05655TZ), [All aircraft, 191 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063032/cases.md) - [Fluids: fuel](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071010): Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware · Fluid management (probable cause); cases with it: [Royse Ralph L GLASAIR, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071010/cases.md?model=05655TZ), [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. - [Takeoff: Fuel starvation](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/191) (defining event); cases with it: [Royse Ralph L GLASAIR, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/191/sequence.md?model=05655TZ), [All aircraft, 733 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/191/sequence.md) - [Landing: Landing area undershoot](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/370); cases with it: [Royse Ralph L GLASAIR, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/370/sequence.md?model=05655TZ), [All aircraft, 201 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/370/sequence.md) - [Landing: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [Royse Ralph L GLASAIR, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md?model=05655TZ), [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md) ## Analysis The pilot reported that, during the takeoff, the fuel tank selector was mistakenly set to the auxiliary tank. Five minutes later the auxiliary tank ran out of gas, which resulted in a total loss of engine power. The pilot switched to the main tank; however, there was insufficient altitude available for a recovery. The airplane struck terrain about 100 ft short of the runway, which substantially damaged the left and right wings. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N9YA](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N9YA), registered now, S/N 582R, built 1986 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: ROYSE RALPH L GLASAIR - Registry model: [Royse Ralph L GLASAIR](https://openairdocs.org/model/royse-ralph-l-glasair) (registry code 05655TZ) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming O-320-B1A](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-o-320-b1a) (registry code 42135, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane, amateur-built - Serial number: 582R - Year built: 1986 - Airframe hours: 2327 - Engines: Lycoming IO-360-B1A 160 hp reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Condition, April 29, 2022, 0 hours before - Departed: RDD, Redding, CA - Airport: CA04, Flying N Ranch Airport, runway 16, 2,600 × 150 ft, dirt - Equipment: Stall warning system, Handheld GPS ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 77; injuries: minor; commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine sea, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: basicmed; last flight review September 1, 2022; seat: left; restraint: lap only; flight hours: 3,094 total, 190 in this make and model ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 350° at 6 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 0 ft - Temperature: 48 °F, dew point 27 °F - Altimeter: 30.15 inHg - Observed at: KRDD, 10 nm away - METAR: METAR KRDD 171753Z 35006KT 10SM CLR 09/M03 A3015 RMK AO2 SLP208 T00891033 10089 21017 52006= ## 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 20221217019159A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20221217019159A), Dec 17, 2022: Royse Ralph L GLASAIR, Cottonwood, CA, Substantial damage. Pilot reported that he had not been able to fly for a while, due to poor weather. While on a personal sight seeing solo flight out of redding municipal airport… ## Docket (2 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on April 27, 2023, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=106496. 5.8 MB in all. - Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 11 pages, 2.2 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=14960537&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Glasair%20Report_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Photos (item 2, PDF, 4 pages, 3.7 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=14960827&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Photos%20for%20WPR23LA074-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.