Pilot Debrief

SKWIRA MATTHEW J W-10 TAILWIND near Sauk Centre, MN — 2018-01-23

Final reportCEN18FA083
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Date
2018-01-23
Location
Sauk Centre, MN, USA
Airport
D39
Aircraft
SKWIRA MATTHEW J W-10 TAILWIND
Registration
N251WT
Category
Airplane
Highest injury
Fatal
Fatalities
1
Phase of flight
Cruise

Probable cause

Impact with terrain for reasons that could not be determined based on the available information.

NTSB narrative

The private pilot departed on a multi-leg cross-country flight in his experimental amateur-built airplane. The calculated total flight duration was about 2 hours 16 minutes. There were no radio communications from the pilot or radar data associated with the airplane, and there were no witnesses to the accident. The wreckage was located the morning after the accident about 2.7 miles south of the last airport of departure. Friends of the pilot reported that he typically kept the airplane fueled to capacity. The airplane held 32 total gallons of fuel and its estimated fuel consumption was about 10 gallons per hour. The fuel system was compromised by impact damage and the fuel on board at the time of the accident could not be determined; however, if he had departed initially with a full fuel tank, he would have had sufficient fuel for the flight. Examination of the airframe and engine did not reveal any evidence of mechanical anomalies. One of the wooden propeller blades was shattered, indicative of some level of rotation at impact, but a power level could not be determined. Autopsy and toxicology of the pilot revealed no evidence of physiological impairment or incapacitation. Given the lack of information about the final moments of the flight, the reason for the impact with terrain could not be determined.

Analysis

Primary failure mode
Fuel management
First missed decision gate
Pilot did not refuel adequately before departure, leading to fuel exhaustion.

NTSB coding

Evidence available

  • 8 docket documents
View NTSB final reportView NTSB docket

Docket documents8

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