ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 280931
This information is added by users of ASN. Neither ASN nor the Flight Safety Foundation are responsible for the completeness or correctness of this information.
If you feel this information is incomplete or incorrect, you can submit corrected information.
| Date: | Friday 29 July 2022 |
| Time: | 06:52 |
| Type: |  Sonex Aircraft Sonex-B |
| Owner/operator: | Private |
| Registration: | N1557S |
| MSN: | 1557 |
| Year of manufacture: | 2020 |
| Total airframe hrs: | 18 hours |
| Engine model: | Revmaster R-2300 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1 |
| Aircraft damage: | Substantial |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | near River Falls, WI -
 United States of America
|
| Phase: | En route |
| Nature: | Test |
| Departure airport: | South St Paul Municipal Richard E Fleming field, MN (KSGS) |
| South St Paul Municipal Richard E Fleming field, MN (KSGS) | |
| Investigating agency: | NTSB |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
On July 29, 2022, about 0652 central daylight time, a Sonex Aircraft Sonex airplane, N1557S, sustained substantial damage when it was involved in an accident near River Falls, Wisconsin. The pilot sustained serious injuries. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 test flight.
The pilot completed the preflight inspection with no issues noted; the airplane had about 10.3 gallons of fuel onboard for the local flight test. The airplane departed and, after flying for between 30 and 45 minutes, the pilot decided to return to the airport. Shortly thereafter, the engine sustained a total loss of power. The pilot reported that the engine did not emit any noises, nor did he notice a drop in the engine's rpm. The pilot tried restarting the engine three times. Although the engine would “turn over,' it would not start. The pilot elected to perform a forced landing to a corn field. During the landing, the right wing impacted a traffic sign and the airplane came to rest upright in a grass ditch. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing and the fuselage.
The on-site examination of the airplane found no fuel inside of the fuel tank; the fuel tank was not compromised. There were no signs of a fuel leak on the airframe or from the engine, nor were there any signs of a fuel leak or spillage on the ground at the accident site.
During a postaccident examination, the fuel line to the carburetor was removed and no fuel was observed. No fuel was observed from the fuel supply line to the strainer. The bowl from the strainer was removed and no fuel was found. There were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airframe or the engine that would have precluded normal operation.
Based on the available evidence, it is likely that the engine lost power due to fuel exhaustion.
Probable Cause: The pilot's improper fuel planning, which resulted in a total loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion.
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
NTSB CEN22LA353
https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=105648
https://registry.faa.gov/AircraftInquiry/Search/NNumberResult?nNumberTxt=N1557S
https://flightaware.com/live/flight/N1557S/history/20220729/1110Z/KSGS/65WI
Location
Images:
Photo: NTSB
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 29-Jul-2022 22:26 | Geno | Added |
| 29-Jul-2022 23:16 | Captain Adam | Updated [Aircraft type, Registration, Cn, Operator, Location, Nature, Source, Damage] |
| 30-Jul-2022 02:25 | johnwg | Updated [Time, Aircraft type, Location, Phase, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative, Category] |
| 30-Jul-2022 02:27 | johnwg | Updated [Source] |
| 30-Jul-2022 05:58 | AgOps | Updated [Source] |
| 01-Feb-2024 13:00 | ASN Update Bot | Updated [Time, Operator, Other fatalities, Phase, Nature, Source, Narrative, Category, Accident report] |
| 05-Feb-2024 21:45 | Captain Adam | Updated [Time, Location, Phase, Source, Narrative, Photo] |
Corrections or additions? ... Edit this accident description
The Aviation Safety Network is an exclusive service provided by:
Quick Links:
| ASN Home | Send Correction / Feedback |
| FSF Home | Disclaimer | Copyright |
| Contact Us | Privacy Policy |
| Press / Media |
CONNECT WITH US:
©2024 Flight Safety Foundation