Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Richlands, North Carolina 28574
Friday, May 6, 2011 12:57 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

About 3 hours 39 minutes into a cross-country flight, the pilot declared an emergency to an air traffic controller due to low fuel pressure. The controller vectored the flight to the nearest airport; however, the airplane impacted a field about 3 miles short of the runway. Examination of the wreckage did not reveal any preimpact mechanical malfunctions, and the fuel selector valve was found positioned to the left main fuel tank. Data recovered from the airplane's engine data monitor revealed that at the time of the emergency, no fuel remained in the left main fuel tank; however, approximately 20 gallons of fuel remained in the right fuel tank. The investigation could not determine why the pilot did not position the fuel selector handle to the right main fuel tank. The airplane held 67 gallons of fuel and the pilot fully fueled the airplane with 46.1 gallons prior to departure.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

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

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/6/2011
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1257
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City Richlands
Event State NORTH CAROLINA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 28574
Event Date Year 2011
Event Date Month 5
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 344708N
Event Location Longitude 0773918W
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 --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1255 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 230
Weather Observation Facility ID OAJ
Elevation of weather observation facility 93
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 3
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 7500
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) 23
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 6
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 270
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) 30.06
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal 2
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 30373
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 Aug 1 2012 2:25PM
User who most recently changed record gots
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N23PH
NTSB Number ERA11FA285
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? Yes
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name HEBERT PETER J
Aircraft Model LANCAIR LEGACY
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 163
Certified Max Gross Weight 2200
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class --
Aircraft is a homebuilt? Yes
Flight Crew Seats 2
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
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 Apr 30 2010 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 459
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type Unknown
Aircraft Owner Name HEBERT PETER J
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City STOWE
Aircraft Owner State VT
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 05672-4036
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name HEBERT PETER J
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address --
Operator City STOWE
Operator State VT
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 05672-4036
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 No
Departure Airport Code MVL
Departure City Morrisville
Departure State VT
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 857
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code ILM
Destination City Wilmington
Destination State NC
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Aug 1 2012 2:23PM
User who most recently changed record gots
Since inspection or accident Last Inspection
Event Location Runway Number and Location N/A
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --