Pilot Debrief

CHRISTEN INDUSTRIES INC PITTS S 2B near Oceanside, CA — 2014-08-05

Final reportWPR14LA329
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Date
2014-08-05
Location
Oceanside, CA, USA
Airport
OKB
Aircraft
CHRISTEN INDUSTRIES INC PITTS S 2B
Registration
N88EW
Category
Airplane
Highest injury
None
Fatalities
0
Phase of flight
Initial climb

Probable cause

The total loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s inadequate fuel planning.

NTSB narrative

The pilot reported that, following spin practice in a local practice area, he leveled the airplane and noticed that the bubble within the fuel sight gauge was not visible. As the pilot began to return to the departure airport, the engine began to run rough. The pilot immediately diverted to a nearby airport, and, shortly after diverting, the engine lost power. The pilot performed a left circling approach to the runway; however, he realized he was too high as he turned onto the base leg of the traffic pattern. The pilot then performed a left sideslip to increase the rate of descent. He did not think that he was in a safe position to land and performed a right 270-degree turn. The pilot stated that, during the turn, he realized the airplane would not be able to reach the runway, and he initiated a forced landing to an open field. Subsequently, the airplane landed hard and nosed over. The pilot reported that before the flight he thought that he had three-quarters of a tank of fuel onboard the airplane, which he thought was sufficient for a 30-minute flight plus visual flight rules reserve fuel requirements. Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed that when the main fuel tank fuel cap was removed, about 1 to 2 cups of liquid drained from the fuel tank. The engine was test run while installed on the airframe without incident. In addition, the fuel indicating system was found to function normally and no leaks were observed within the fuel system. Further examination of the airplane revealed no preexisting mechanical anomalies that would have precluded normal operation.

Analysis

Primary failure mode
Fuel management
First missed decision gate
Pilot should have checked fuel levels before aerobatic maneuvers.

NTSB coding

Evidence available

  • 5 docket documents
View NTSB final reportView NTSB docket

Docket documents5

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