Leesburg International Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Leesburg, Florida 34747
Tuesady, October 12, 2010 19:50 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

According to the pilot, he made a go-around after his first approach due to the aircraft traffic in the area. In diverting his attention to monitoring the traffic, he forgot to switch the fuel tank selection. As the airplane turned onto the crosswind leg of the traffic pattern, the engine began to sputter and subsequently experienced a total loss of power. The pilot switched to the other fuel tank in an attempted to restart the engine, but was unsuccessful. With the airplane's altitude decreasing, he decided to ditch in a lake to avoid a housing area. A postaccident inspection by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector revealed that the airplane incurred substantial damage to the left wing and fuselage; they found no evidence of preimpact mechanical anomalies. The pilot opined that the engine had a loss of power due to fuel starvation.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot’s improper fuel management, which resulted in a loss of engine power due to fuel starvation.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 10/12/2010
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 1950
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City Leesburg
Event State FLORIDA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 34747
Event Date Year 2010
Event Date Month 10
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 284922N
Event Location Longitude 0814831W
Event Location Airport Leesburg International Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID LEE
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 72
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1953 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 180
Weather Observation Facility ID LEE
Elevation of weather observation facility 72
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 1
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Night
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 7000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
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) 25
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 17
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 300
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 6
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29.98
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report METAR KLEE 122353Z AUTO 30006KT 10SM SCT070 25/17
Event Highest Injury Minor
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
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) 27687
NTSB Notification Source FAA Southern ROC
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information --
Date of most recent change to record Feb 28 2011 3:52PM
User who most recently changed record broda
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N539AD
NTSB Number ERA11CA018
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 LONG
Aircraft Model EZ
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 539
Certified Max Gross Weight 1600
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class --
Aircraft is a homebuilt? Yes
Flight Crew Seats 1
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats 1
Total number of seats on the aircraft 2
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Conditional
Date of Last Inspection Aug 22 2010 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 33
Airframe Hours 33
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type Unknown
Aircraft Owner Name Allen Dunlap
Aircraft Owner Street Address 21953 King Alfred St.
Aircraft Owner City Leesburg
Aircraft Owner State FL
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 34748
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name Allen Dunlap
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address 21953 King Alfred St.
Operator City Leesburg
Operator State FL
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 34748
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 LEE
Departure City Leesburg
Departure State FL
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1700
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code --
Destination City Leesburg
Destination State FL
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Feb 28 2011 3:53PM
User who most recently changed record broda
Since inspection or accident Time of Accident
Event Location Runway Number and Location N/A
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --