Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Victorville, California 92392
Sunday, August 20, 2000 14:23 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

During the second flight of the experimental homebuilt airplane, the engine lost power resulting in a forced landing. The airplane collided with a ravine during the forced landing roll and the landing gear collapsed. Both flights had operated with a fuel load of 10 gallons, 5 gallons in each wing fuel tank. On approach to the runway, the accident pilot experienced a loss of engine power while operating from the left fuel tank. He switched the fuel selector to the right tank but was unable to get a restart. The pilot stated that the fuel vapor return, which was plumbed into the right fuel tank, was greater than advertised. He had understood the rate to be 20/30 percent of the fuel consumption rate.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

the pilot's failure to provide enough fuel for the intended flight. Contributing to the accident was an improper fuel vapor return system.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/20/2000
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1423
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City VICTORVILLE
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 92392
Event Date Year 2000
Event Date Month 8
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude --
Event Location Longitude --
Event Location Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1435 Pacific Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 210
Weather Observation Facility ID VCV
Elevation of weather observation facility 2875
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 1
Time Zone of the weather observation PDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 30
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 34
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 250
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 5
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Minor
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 1
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 855
NTSB Notification Source FAA
NTSB Notification Date Aug 21 2000 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1036
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record May 25 2001 4:45AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N601SP
NTSB Number LAX00LA308
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Pulsar Aircraft Corp.
Aircraft Model 100
Aircraft Series Identifier 100
Aircraft Serial Number 601
Certified Max Gross Weight 1350
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? Yes
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 2
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Jul 20 2000 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 2
Airframe Hours 2
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name PULSAR AIRCRAFT CORPORATION
Aircraft Owner Street Address 4233 SANTA ANITA AVE. STE 5
Aircraft Owner City EL MONTE
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 91731
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name SOLLY MELYON
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address
Operator City LOS ANGELES
Operator State CA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 90036
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code VCV
Departure City SOCAL AIRPORT
Departure State CA
Departure Country
Departure Time 1400
Departure Time Zone PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code VCV
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record May 25 2001 4:09AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --