# NTSB WPR24LA048: Flight Design Ctls, N924RD, Hungry Horse, MT, November 18, 2023 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Minor injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report - Date: November 18, 2023, 12:25 local (19:25 UTC) - Place: Hungry Horse, MT · Hunry Horse Reservoir - Coordinates: 48.32011, -113.98095 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=48.3201&lon=-113.9810&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Enroute-cruise: Fuel exhaustion](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/192) - Highest injury: Minor injuries - Injuries: 2 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): 193473 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=WPR24LA048 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/193473/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=193473 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR24LA048 ## Probable cause The pilot's inadequate fuel planning and improper in-flight decision-making, 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. - [Fluids: fuel](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071010): Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware · Fluid management (probable cause); cases with it: [Flight Design CTLS, 6 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071010/cases.md?model=060005B), [All aircraft, 1,695 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071010/cases.md) - [Planning/preparation: fuel planning](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02061030): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Flight Design CTLS, 3 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02061030/cases.md?model=060005B), [All aircraft, 719 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02061030/cases.md) - [Info processing/decision: decision making/judgment](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041520): Personnel issues › Action/decision · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Flight Design CTLS, 4 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041520/cases.md?model=060005B), [All aircraft, 3,098 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041520/cases.md) - [Environmental issues](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03020000): Environmental issues › Physical environment · Contributed to outcome; cases with it: [Flight Design CTLS, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03020000/cases.md?model=060005B), [All aircraft, 24 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03020000/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 exhaustion](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/192) (defining event); cases with it: [Flight Design CTLS, 4 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/192/sequence.md?model=060005B), [All aircraft, 804 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/192/sequence.md) - [Enroute-cruise: Ditching](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/441); cases with it: [Flight Design CTLS, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/441/sequence.md?model=060005B), [All aircraft, 186 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/441/sequence.md) ## Analysis About four hours into the repositioning flight, and about six miles from his intended destination, the pilot contacted the tower controller and was informed that the airport was under instrument flight rules (IFR) conditions, and that he was not cleared to land. The pilot made the decision to maneuver to the southeast to ascertain whether they should return to their home airport or land at a nearby airport and wait for the weather to clear. Shortly after departing the area enroute to an alternate airport, the airplane lost engine power. The pilot promptly attempted to restart the engine; however, his efforts were unsuccessful. The pilot subsequently executed a forced landing into a lake resulting in substantial damage to the fuselage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. He reported that there was no engine roughness or warnings before the engine quit, and it sounded as if the airplane ran out of fuel. He reported that he departed with 26.1 gallons of fuel and, according to the inflight computer, had about 5.72 gallons of remaining fuel when they arrived at the destination airport. In the recommendation section of the NTSB Accident/Incident Reporting Form 6120.1, the pilot listed ways that the accident could have been prevented, to include not relying on fuel management systems. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N924RD](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N924RD), registered now, S/N F-16-01-51, built 2016 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: FLIGHT DESIGN GMBH CTLS - Registry model: [Flight Design CTLS](https://openairdocs.org/model/flight-design-ctls) (registry code 060005B) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Rotax 912ULS series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/rotax-912uls-series) (registry code 55572, 4 cycle) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: F-16-01-51 - Year built: 2016 - Airframe hours: 520 - Engines: Rotax 912ULS 100 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: None - Last inspection: Annual, March 29, 2023, 45 hours before - Departed: GTF, Great Fall, MT - Destination: GPI, Kalispell, MT - Equipment: Angle of attack indicator, Airframe parachute, ADS-B, Stall warning system, Onboard weather, Electronic multifunction display, Electronic flight bag or handheld device, Auto-pilot ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 59; injuries: none; sport pilot; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: sport pilot; last flight review June 1, 2019; seat: left; restraint: 4-point; flight hours: 541 total, 471 in this make and model, 437 as pilot in command, 10 in the last 90 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: calm - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 1,200 ft overcast - Temperature: 30 °F, dew point 28 °F - Altimeter: 29.99 inHg - Observed at: KGPI, 11 nm away - METAR: SPECI KGPI 181828Z 00000KT 4SM BR OVC007 M01/M02 A2999 RMK AO2 T10061017= ## 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 20231118017829A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20231118017829A), Nov 18, 2023: Flight Design Gmbh CTLS, Hungry Horse, MT, Substantial damage. On November 18th the PIC departed from gtf for gpi. The PIC requested 5 gallons of gas be added to the airplane. The PIC thought the airplane already had 21… ## Docket (2 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on October 10, 2024, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=193473. 8.4 MB in all. - Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 9 pages, 7.3 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=17514195&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=6120%20048_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Accident photos (item 2, PDF, 3 pages, 1.1 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=17513835&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Accident%20Photo%20048-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.