Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Ducote Air Park Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
San Angelo, Texas 76904
Tuesady, April 17, 2012 16:00 CDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The sport pilot reported that the airplane had not been flown in 4 months. Six gallons of fuel were in the right tank, and three gallons were in the left tank; right wing tank was selected during the accident flight. The engine start, taxi, and run-up were normal. About 4 minutes after engine start, the pilot taxied onto the runway and departed. He reported that the airplane climbed to about 50 feet above ground level when the engine had a total loss of engine power. The airplane landed in a field and sustained substantial damage. During postaccident examination, the fuel tanks, fuel lines, and fuel strainer were checked for debris and water contamination, but none were observed. The engine-driven mechanical fuel pump, the electric fuel pump, and the engine all were tested and operated normally. However, the outboard section of right wing fuel vent line was blocked by debris. The blockage was removed from the fuel vent line; it measured about ¼-inch wide at its widest and about ½-inch long. The blocked fuel vent line likely created a vacuum, which resulted in fuel starvation to the engine.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The loss of engine power due to fuel starvation as a result of a blocked fuel vent line.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 4/17/2012 |
| Event Day of the Week | Tuesday |
| Time of Event | 1600 |
| Event Time Zone | Central Daylight Time |
| Event City | San Angelo |
| Event State | TEXAS |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 76904 |
| Event Date Year | 2012 |
| Event Date Month | 4 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 312130N |
| Event Location Longitude | 1003646W |
| Event Location Airport | Ducote Air Park |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | TS65 |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | Off Airport/Airstrip |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | 0 |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | -- |
| Airport Elevation | 1974 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Pilot |
| Time of the weather observation | |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | -- |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | -- |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | -- |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | -- |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | -- |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | -- |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | 5000 |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Few |
| 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) | 27 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | -- |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 90 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 5 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 30.12 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | -- |
| 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) | 32749 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA-ASW-ROC |
| NTSB Notification Date | -- |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | May 21 2014 4:11PM |
| User who most recently changed record | silj |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N912RV |
| NTSB Number | CEN12FA249 |
| 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 | HEISER ROBERT C JR |
| Aircraft Model | PULSAR XP |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 394 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 1100 |
| 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 | Jun 1 2011 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | -- |
| Airframe Hours | 331 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | Yes |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | HEISER ROBERT C JR |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | On File |
| Aircraft Owner City | SAN ANGELO |
| Aircraft Owner State | TX |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 76904-3686 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | HEISER ROBERT C JR |
| Operator Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Street Address | On File |
| Operator City | SAN ANGELO |
| Operator State | TX |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 76904-3686 |
| Operator Code | -- |
| Owner has at least one certificate | None |
| Other Operator of large aircraft? | -- |
| 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 | TS65 |
| Departure City | San Angelo |
| Departure State | TX |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1600 |
| Departure Time Zone | CDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere |
| Destination Airport Code | TS65 |
| Destination City | San Angelo |
| Destination State | TX |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | -- |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | May 21 2014 5:14PM |
| User who most recently changed record | silj |
| Since inspection or accident | Time of Accident |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | 17 |
| Runway Length | 3700 |
| Runway Width | 35 |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |