# NTSB WPR23LA303: Aldinger Albert John Cozy Mark III, N964AL, McDermitt, OR, August 3, 2023 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Minor injuries · Class 3 · Limited · Final report - Date: August 3, 2023, 11:45 local (18:45 UTC) - Place: McDermitt, OR · Open desert road - Coordinates: 42.2394, -117.9255 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=42.2394&lon=-117.9255&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Enroute: Fuel exhaustion](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/192) - Highest injury: Minor injuries - Injuries: 1 minor - Status: Completed - Report: Approved by Office Director - Investigation class: Class 3 - NTSB office: Western Pacific Region - Parties: Federal Aviation Administration - NTSB case key (mKey): 192813 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=WPR23LA303 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/192813/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=192813 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR23LA303 ## Probable cause The pilot's inadequate preflight fuel planning, which resulted in a total loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Planning/preparation: fuel planning](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02061030): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Aldinger Albert John COZY, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02061030/cases.md?model=05601XI), [All aircraft, 719 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02061030/cases.md) - [Fluids: fuel](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071010): Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware · Fluid level (probable cause); cases with it: [Aldinger Albert John COZY, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071010/cases.md?model=05601XI), [All aircraft, 1,695 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071010/cases.md) - [Inspection: preflight inspection](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02061510): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Aldinger Albert John COZY, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02061510/cases.md?model=05601XI), [All aircraft, 551 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02061510/cases.md) - [Terrain: rough terrain](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03021015): Environmental issues › Physical environment · Contributed to outcome; cases with it: [Aldinger Albert John COZY, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03021015/cases.md?model=05601XI), [All aircraft, 442 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03021015/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Prior to flight: Aircraft inspection event](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/050); cases with it: [Aldinger Albert John COZY, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/050/sequence.md?model=05601XI), [All aircraft, 229 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/050/sequence.md) - [Enroute: Fuel exhaustion](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/192) (defining event); cases with it: [Aldinger Albert John COZY, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/192/sequence.md?model=05601XI), [All aircraft, 804 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/192/sequence.md) - [Landing: Off-field or emergency landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440); cases with it: [Aldinger Albert John COZY, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440/sequence.md?model=05601XI), [All aircraft, 3,365 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440/sequence.md) - [Landing: Nose over/nose down](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/096); cases with it: [Aldinger Albert John COZY, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/096/sequence.md?model=05601XI), [All aircraft, 2,287 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/096/sequence.md) ## Analysis According to the pilot, he had recently purchased the airplane and was in the process of relocating it to his home airport. During the flight, he had no way to monitor the fuel burn during the flight other than the fuel sight gauges, which he could not see due to objects blocking his view. While the pilot was not able to monitor the fuel burn during the flight, he did lean the fuel and routinely switched fuel tanks; he believed he had plenty of fuel for the flight. After flying for about 2 hours and 20 minutes, the airplane sustained a complete loss of engine power. Unable to maintain altitude, he conducted an off-airport landing to a dirt road. During the landing roll, the airplane encountered uneven terrain, nosed over, and came to rest inverted. A visual inspection of the fuel system was conducted, and continuity was established from the main fuel tanks throughout the system; however, there was no fuel observed. A functional engine test was conducted, and a ground run was performed at various power settings uneventfully for about 5 minutes. Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed no evidence of preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. The total amount of fuel onboard the airplane before the flight could not be determined; however, given the lack of fuel found in the tanks after the accident and no indications of engine anomalies, it is likely that the loss of engine power was due to fuel exhaustion. ## Factual narrative On August 3, 2023, about 1145 Pacific daylight time, an experimental amateur-built Cozy, N964AL, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near McDermitt, Oregon. The pilot sustained minor injuries. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. The pilot reported that he recently purchased the airplane and was in the process of relocating the airplane. He had two prior flights in the accident airplane. On the day of the accident flight, he departed from Shelton, Washington, with the intended destination of Battle Mountain, Nevada. During the flight he had no way to monitor the fuel burn rate other than the fuel sight gauges, which he couldn't see due to objects blocking his view. During the flight, he leaned the fuel to slightly lean of peak, routinely switched fuel tanks, and believed he had plenty of fuel for the flight. After flying for about 2 hours and 20 minutes at an altitude of about 9,500 ft mean sea level (msl), the airplane sustained a complete loss of engine power. Unable to maintain altitude, the pilot elected to conduct an off-airport landing to a dirt road. During the landing roll, the airplane encountered uneven terrain, nosed over, and came to rest inverted. Postaccident examination of the airplane identified crushing of the forward fuselage. Flight control continuity was established from all primary flight control surfaces to the cockpit controls. Wreckage recovery personnel reported that they did not observe any fuel residue in the wreckage, detect any odor of fuel, or recover any fuel. They did not observe any noticeable discoloration of the surrounding vegetation. Examination of the recovered airframe and engine revealed no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. No visible damage was observed to the left and right fuel tanks and no fuel or liquid was observed in the fuel tanks. A visual inspection of the fuel system was conducted, and continuity was established from the main fuel tanks to the carburetor. A small amount of fuel was observed in the airframe fuel strainer. The carburetor bowl was void of fuel. A functional engine test was conducted. An external fuel tank was attached to the right-wing fuel inlet line. During an initial attempt to start the engine, the airplane’s battery did not have a sufficient charge to crank the engine. An external power source was attached to the battery and the engine started. Due to the damage to the forward fuselage, the throttle was not advanced to the full forward position. However, the engine did run at various power settings. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N964AL](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N964AL), registered now, S/N 263, built 1996 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: ALDINGER ALBERT JOHN COZY Mark III - Registry model: [Aldinger Albert John COZY](https://openairdocs.org/model/aldinger-albert-john-cozy) (registry code 05601XI) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming 0-360-A1D](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-360-a1d) (registry code 41504, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane, amateur-built - Serial number: 263 - Year built: 1996 - Airframe hours: 834.8 - Engines: Lycoming O-360-A3A 180 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special) - Last inspection: Condition, July 18, 2023 - Departed: SHN, Shelton, WA - Destination: BAM, Battle Mountain, NV - Flight plan: VFR - Equipment: Onboard weather, Electronic primary flight display, Auto-pilot, ADS-B ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 75; injuries: minor; flight instructor, commercial; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: basicmed, with waivers/limitations; last flight review July 30, 2023; seat: left; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 2,880 total, 4 in this make and model, 900 as pilot in command, 6 in the last 90 days, 6 in the last 30 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: calm - Temperature: 88 °F, dew point 46 °F - Altimeter: 30.06 inHg - Observed at: KREO, 21 nm away - METAR: METAR KREO 031852Z AUTO 00000KT 31/08 A3006 RMK AO1 SLP128 T03110083= ## 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 20230803014459A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20230803014459A), Aug 3, 2023: Aldinger Albert John COZY, Mc Dermitt, OR, Substantial damage. Experimental Cozy, lost engine power, made emergency landing on a remote gravel road, veered off the road into Sagebrush and aircraft flipped over. Pilot… ## Docket (6 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on February 13, 2025, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=192813. 5.1 MB in all. - Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 11 pages, 2.4 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=16655167&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=NTSB%20form%206120_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Record of e-mail correspondence (pilot) (item 2, PDF, 1 page, 66 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=16666824&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Record%20of%20e-mail%20correspondence%20(Pilot)-Rel.pdf - Record of e-mail correspondence (recovery company) (item 3, PDF, 1 page, 78 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=17948650&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Record%20of%20e-mail%20correspondence%20(recovery%20company)-Rel.pdf - Airframe and engine examination (item 4, PDF, 7 pages, 707 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=17983528&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=WPR23LA303%20Airframe%20and%20Engine%20Examination-Rel.pdf - Release of aircraft wreckage, NTSB form 6120.15 (item 5, PDF, 1 page, 146 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=16665673&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=WPR23LA303%20Release%20of%20Wreckage%20Form_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Photo array (item 6, PDF, 3 pages, 1.8 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=16658336&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Photo%20Array-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.