ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 296588
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| Date: | Wednesday 25 September 2002 |
| Time: | 12:00 LT |
| Type: |  Whetzel Thorpe T-18 |
| Owner/operator: | Lawrence Whetzel |
| Registration: | N60LW |
| MSN: | 1109 |
| Engine model: | Lycoming O-320 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1 |
| Aircraft damage: | Substantial |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | Valley Center, California -
 United States of America
|
| Phase: | Unknown |
| Nature: | Private |
| Departure airport: | Ramona Airport, CA (KRNM) |
| Valley Center, CA (2CA4) | |
| Investigating agency: | NTSB |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
The pilot reported that the engine experienced a loss of power while en route, and the airplane collided with a dirt berm while he attempted a forced landing at a private airstrip. With the flaps in the retracted position, he attempted to land on the dirt runway. While on the landing roll, he was unable to stop the airplane before colliding with a hill at the end of the runway. A Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector examined the airplane about an hour after the accident occurred. He did not see any skid marks to indicate emergency braking action. He also saw no signs of fuel at the accident site. He visually checked the inside of the fuel tanks and found that both were empty. Neither of the fuel tanks were breached during the accident. He also noted that the airplane's fuel gauges were inoperable. The pilot told him that the fuel indictors do not work, but he visually checked the quantity before flights. He added that he uses automobile fuel, which has no color, and therefore, is difficult to verify quantity.
Probable Cause: the pilot's inadequate preflight planning/preparation by not verifying the fuel supply, and his inadequate in-flight planning/decision, which resulted in fuel exhaustion and loss of engine power. A factor in the accident was the pilot's decision to initiate flight with a known equipment deficiency (inoperative fuel quantity gauge).
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
NTSB LAX02LA296
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 14-Oct-2022 08:23 | ASN Update Bot | Added |
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