Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Bear Branch, Kentucky 41714
Monday, January 7, 2013 17:30 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

Before departure, the pilot/owner filled the fuel tank, adding 1 to 2 gallons of fuel. He expected a flight duration of about 2.5 hours and wanted to land at the destination airport before dark. The departure was delayed about 15 to 20 minutes due to a problem at the fuel facility. Because of the departure delay, the pilot kept the engine rpm at a higher setting and leaned the fuel-air mixture during the climb. During cruise flight, he leaned the fuel-to-air mixture using the onboard exhaust gas temperature gauge, then slightly enriched the mixture. He reported that the fuel quantity indicator installed on the instrument panel was working but that he was not entirely clear at what level the gauge indicated empty. While the pilot was in communication with Indianapolis Air Route Traffic Control Center (ARTCC) and about 20 minutes from his destination airport, the engine suddenly quit. He checked the onboard GPS for the nearest airport, which was about 22 miles away. He declared an emergency with Indianapolis ARTCC and looked for a place to land, first noting a four-lane road with some traffic then observing a side road without traffic. He maneuvered the airplane for a forced landing on the side road and sideslipped the airplane. When committed for landing, he fully deployed the speedbrake because the airplane was high and fast. Before touchdown, he straightened the airplane and maneuvered to the right to avoid pedestrians on the left side of the road. While traveling about 20 to 30 mph, the right wingtip collided with a guy wire. The airplane veered to the right and the left main landing gear hit the road and a washout ditch, causing the gear to separate. The airplane slid, and the leading edge of a wing was damaged. During recovery of the airplane, no remaining fuel was observed in the fuel tank. The pilot considered whether fuel leaked from the fuel strainer or fuel cap but reported that he did not see evidence of a leak. He stated that he believed the airplane’s fuel capacity was 15 gallons, which he used for his preflight planning; however, he noted postaccident that the fuel cap indicated a fuel capacity of 13 gallons. Given that there was less fuel on board than the pilot believed, the higher-than-normal engine rpm setting during the climb, and the lack of fuel postaccident, the evidence is consistent with exhaustion of the airplane’s fuel supply.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot’s improper preflight planning, which resulted in a total loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion. Contributing to the fuel exhaustion was the pilot’s lack of knowledge about the airplane’s total fuel capacity and fuel quantity instrumentation.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 1/7/2013
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 1730
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City Bear Branch
Event State KENTUCKY
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 41714
Event Date Year 2013
Event Date Month 1
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 371014N
Event Location Longitude 0833455W
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 1735 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) --
Weather Observation Facility ID 1A6
Elevation of weather observation facility 1154
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) --
Time Zone of the weather observation EST
Lighting Conditions Dusk
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) 6
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 1
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) --
Variable Wind Indicator --
Wind Speed (knots) --
Wind Velocity Indicator Calm
Wind Gust Indicator --
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.32
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) 31400
NTSB Notification Source Louisville FSDO
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information --
Date of most recent change to record Jun 3 2013 4:55PM
User who most recently changed record kenj
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N216CB
NTSB Number ERA13CA107
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 BREWER JAMES M
Aircraft Model KR2
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 8475
Certified Max Gross Weight 987
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 2012 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 295
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type Unknown
Aircraft Owner Name BREWER JAMES M
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City DELAND
Aircraft Owner State FL
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 32720-4333
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name David L. Styer
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address --
Operator City Mt. Gilead
Operator State OH
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code --
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 GQQ
Departure City Galion
Departure State OH
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1500
Departure Time Zone EST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code 1A6
Destination City Middlesboro
Destination State KY
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jun 3 2013 4:55PM
User who most recently changed record kenj
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 --