Chandler Municipal Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Chandler, Arizona 85249
Monday, September 17, 2012 9:54 MST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot reported that he entered the airport traffic pattern and that the engine stopped developing power. He initiated a forced landing to an open area adjacent to the intended runway, which resulted in a hard landing. The pilot estimated that the airplane contained about 6 gallons of fuel at takeoff and that the flight required about 2 gallons of fuel. Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed that a fuel supply line had failed, which resulted in the loss of about 4 gallons of fuel in flight. This left less than 1 gallon of total fuel remaining, which was less than the usable fuel. It is likely that the loss of engine power was due to fuel exhaustion. The most recent conditional inspection of the airplane, which should have been completed about 12 months before the accident in accordance with the airplane’s operating limitations, was actually completed about 16 months before the accident. If a conditional inspection had been completed, it is likely that the fuel line would have shown signs of deterioration that may have been seen during the inspection.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

A loss of engine power as a result of fuel exhaustion due to a fuel line failure. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s failure to adhere to the maintenance inspection criteria for the airplane.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/17/2012
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 954
Event Time Zone Mountain Standard Time
Event City Chandler
Event State ARIZONA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 85249
Event Date Year 2012
Event Date Month 9
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 331608N
Event Location Longitude 1114840W
Event Location Airport Chandler Municipal Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID KCHD
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 1243
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 --
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) 30
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) --
Variable Wind Indicator Variable
Wind Speed (knots) 4
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.01
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) 32265
NTSB Notification Source FAA ROC
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 15 2014 12:21PM
User who most recently changed record stam
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N1356Y
NTSB Number WPR12LA423
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
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 BARNEY
Aircraft Model STARDUSTRER SA-100
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number B-1
Certified Max Gross Weight 1275
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class --
Aircraft is a homebuilt? Yes
Flight Crew Seats 1
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 1
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Conditional
Date of Last Inspection May 11 2011 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 20
Airframe Hours 783
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name STILL MICHAEL J
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City CHANDLER
Aircraft Owner State AZ
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 85249
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name STILL MICHAEL J
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address --
Operator City CHANDLER
Operator State AZ
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 85249
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 No
Departure Airport Code KCGZ
Departure City Casa Grande
Departure State AZ
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 940
Departure Time Zone MST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code --
Destination City Chandler
Destination State AZ
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 15 2014 12:21PM
User who most recently changed record stam
Since inspection or accident Time of Accident
Event Location Runway Number and Location 22L
Runway Length 4850
Runway Width 75
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --