Fuel exhaustion Accident Rand Robinson KR-2 N216CB,
ASN logo
ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 152343
 
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:Monday 7 January 2013
Time:17:30
Type:Silhouette image of generic KR2 model; specific model in this crash may look slightly different    
Rand Robinson KR-2
Owner/operator:Private
Registration: N216CB
MSN: 8475
Total airframe hrs:295 hours
Engine model:Volkswagon 2180
Fatalities:Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1
Aircraft damage: Substantial
Category:Accident
Location:Hwy 66, Clay County, Big Creek, KY -   United States of America
Phase: Landing
Nature:Private
Departure airport:Galion, OH (GQQ)
Destination airport:Middlesboro, KY (1A6)
Investigating agency: NTSB
Confidence Rating: Accident investigation report completed and information captured
Narrative:
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.
Probable Cause: 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.

Accident investigation:
cover
  
Investigating agency: NTSB
Report number: ERA13CA107
Status: Investigation completed
Duration:
Download report: Final report

Sources:

NTSB
FAA register: http://registry.faa.gov/aircraftinquiry/NNum_Results.aspx?NNumbertxt=216CB

Location

Revision history:

Date/timeContributorUpdates
08-Jan-2013 08:51 Geno Added
21-Dec-2016 19:28 ASN Update Bot Updated [Time, Damage, Category, Investigating agency]
28-Nov-2017 14:05 ASN Update Bot Updated [Operator, Other fatalities, Nature, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative]

Corrections or additions? ... Edit this accident description

The Aviation Safety Network is an exclusive service provided by:
Quick Links:

CONNECT WITH US: FSF on social media FSF Facebook FSF Twitter FSF Youtube FSF LinkedIn FSF Instagram

©2024 Flight Safety Foundation

1920 Ballenger Av, 4th Fl.
Alexandria, Virginia 22314
www.FlightSafety.org