Individually Owned: 151,845
Corporate Owned: 143,699
Sebastion Municipal Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Sebastian, Florida 32960
Sunday, December 7, 2008 16:19 EST
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The pilot of the amateur-built airplane elected to operate the airplane on the accident date with the fuel selector positioned to the right tank, and flew to a nearby airport where he performed an uneventful full-stop taxi-back landing. The pilot initiated takeoff with the fuel selector positioned to the right tank which was nearly empty and contrary to the Before Take Off checklist, and remained in the traffic pattern. While on the downwind leg abeam the approach end of the intended runway with another airplane on the extended downwind leg, the engine experienced a loss of power due to fuel starvation. He regained control of the airplane, which took 15 to 20 seconds, maintained best glide airspeed and then turned towards the runway. Unable to land on the runway, he maneuvered the airplane for a forced landing, but before ground contact he switched the fuel selector to the left tank position. Engine power was not restored and the airplane was substantially damaged during the off-airport forced landing. Postaccident examination revealed, a total of approximately 15 gallons of fuel in the left fuel tank, while the right fuel tank was empty. The fuel tanks were not breached and there was no evidence of fuel leakage at the scene.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
A loss of engine power due to fuel starvation as a result of the pilot's incorrect positioning of the fuel selector valve.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 12/7/2008 |
| Event Day of the Week | Sunday |
| Time of Event | 1619 |
| Event Time Zone | Eastern Standard Time |
| Event City | Sebastian |
| Event State | FLORIDA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 32960 |
| Event Date Year | 2008 |
| Event Date Month | 12 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 274813N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0803057W |
| Event Location Airport | Sebastion Municipal Airport |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | X26 |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | Off Airport/Airstrip |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | 1 |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | -- |
| Airport Elevation | 21 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1553 Eastern Standard Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 162 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | VRB |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 24 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 10 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | EST |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | -- |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | -- |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Clear |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | None |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | -- |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | -- |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 10 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 17 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 5 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 350 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 10 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 30 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | -- |
| Event Highest Injury | None |
| On Ground, Fatal Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Minor Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Serious Injuries | -- |
| Injury Total Fatal | -- |
| Injury Total Minor | -- |
| Injury Total None | 1 |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | -- |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 25460 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA Southern Region ROC |
| NTSB Notification Date | -- |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jul 7 2009 11:32AM |
| User who most recently changed record | johb |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N757SM |
| NTSB Number | ERA09LA081 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | None |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | No |
| Damage | Substantial |
| Aircraft Fire | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | MERRELL STEPHEN |
| Aircraft Model | F1 ROCKET |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 150 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 2100 |
| Aircraft Category | Airplane |
| Aircraft Registration Class | -- |
| 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 | Conditional |
| Date of Last Inspection | Oct 27 2008 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 20 |
| Airframe Hours | 135 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | Yes |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | Yes |
| ELT Type | Unknown |
| Aircraft Owner Name | Stephen Merrell |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | -- |
| Aircraft Owner City | ROCKLEDGE |
| Aircraft Owner State | FL |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 32955-6056 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | Stephen Merrell |
| Operator Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Street Address | -- |
| Operator City | ROCKLEDGE |
| Operator State | FL |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 32955-6056 |
| Operator Code | -- |
| Owner has at least one certificate | None |
| Other Operator of large aircraft? | No |
| Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation | -- |
| 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 | Yes |
| Departure Airport Code | X26 |
| Departure City | Sebastian |
| Departure State | FL |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1615 |
| Departure Time Zone | EST |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere |
| Destination Airport Code | X26 |
| Destination City | Sebastian |
| Destination State | FL |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | -- |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | May 14 2009 2:56PM |
| User who most recently changed record | kenj |
| Since inspection or accident | Last Inspection |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | 04 |
| Runway Length | 4024 |
| Runway Width | 150 |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |