Pilot Debrief

GRUMMAN AA1 near Portland, TN — 2017-08-30

Final reportERA17FA299
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Date
2017-08-30
Location
Portland, TN, USA
Airport
1M5
Aircraft
GRUMMAN AA1
Registration
N8866L
Category
Airplane
Highest injury
Fatal
Fatalities
2
Phase of flight
Approach

Probable cause

The pilot's improper fuel planning, which resulted in a total loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion.

NTSB narrative

The private pilot and the passenger were making a local personal flight in the airplane. According to witnesses, the airplane was flying "low" in the vicinity of the runway when it collided with trees and impacted terrain in a nose-down attitude. Examination of the airplane revealed that the fuel selector was in the left tank position; there was no fuel in the left tank or in the fuel lines, and there was less than 1 teaspoon of fuel in the electric boost pump. Therefore, it is likely that the engine lost power because of fuel exhaustion. At an unknown time, the airplane's original 108-horsepower engine had been replaced with a 150-horsepower engine. An updated pilot operating handbook or operating handbook supplement that would have provided fuel consumption figures for the higher horsepower engine was not located. When the accident occurred, the airplane had been flown about 2.23 hours since it had been fully fueled. Based on the estimated fuel burn rate of between 8.8 and 10 gallons per hour provided by the engine manufacturer for the 150-horsepower engine, the airplane likely would have consumed its entire usable fuel capacity of 22 gallons about the time of the accident.

Analysis

Primary failure mode
Fuel management
First missed decision gate
Pilot did not refuel before the accident flight despite previous flight consumption.

NTSB coding

Evidence available

  • Photos
  • 13 docket documents
View NTSB final reportView NTSB docket

Docket documents13

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