- Date
- May 27, 2024, 07:00 local (14:00 UTC)
- Place
- Somerton, AZ · An open field about 1 mile west of the airport
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N918LNNelson Lawrence K 601 HDS
- Defining event
- Approach-VFR pattern downwind: Fuel starvation
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class
- Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office
- Western Pacific Region
- Parties
- FAA
- Case key
- 194323
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The pilot’s inadequate fuel management which resulted in a total loss of engine power due to fuel starvation.
Findings · 3
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The pilot of the airplane reported that, during the preflight engine runup, he diverted his attention to a phone call and failed to switch the fuel selector to a fuel tank with adequate fuel. During the initial climb, the engine experienced a complete loss of power, and the pilot performed a forced landing in an agricultural field. The airplane sustained substantial damage to both wings and fuselage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N918LN
- Reported as
- Nelson Lawrence K 601 HDS
- Category
- Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- 001
- Built
- 2017
- Airframe hours
- 345
- Engine
- Larry Nelson/Corvair Corvair Conversion, 100 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection
- Condition · November 4, 2023
- Airport
- 54AZ · Somerton
- Equipment
- Auto-pilot, Angle of attack indicator, ADS-B, Electronic primary flight display, Electronic multifunction display, Electronic flight bag or handheld device
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 43
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Without waivers/limitations
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 427 total · 303 in this make and model · 370 as pilot in command · 45 in the last 90 days · 18 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 70 °F, dew point 43 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.86 inHg
- Observed at
- KNYL, 3 nm away
- METAR
- KNYL 271257Z AUTO 00000KT 10SM CLR 21/06 A2986 RMK AO2 SLP107 T02060056 $
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on July 25, 2024, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 3.0 MB in all.