ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 229178
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| Date: | Friday 20 September 2019 |
| Time: | 19:30 |
| Type: |  Diamond DA20-C1 Eclipse |
| Owner/operator: | Private |
| Registration: | N212DX |
| MSN: | C0275 |
| Year of manufacture: | 2004 |
| Engine model: | Continental IO-240 SER |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 2 |
| Aircraft damage: | Substantial |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | Adjacent to Smith Field Airport (KSMD), Fort Wayne, IN -
 United States of America
|
| Phase: | Approach |
| Nature: | Private |
| Departure airport: | Fort Wayne-Smith Field, IN (SMD/KSMD) |
| Fort Wayne-Smith Field, IN (SMD/KSMD) | |
| Investigating agency: | NTSB |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
The pilot reported that, while conducting the preflight inspection for the first flight of the day, the fuel was at the bottom of the 1/2 mark on the wood dipstick, and the gauge also reflected the same fuel level. He added that, before taking off for the accident flight, which was the fourth flight that day, he checked the fuel gauge, and it was showing right above 1/4 tank. The pilot reported that, while on approach to land, the engine sputtered and lost all power. He retracted the flaps to extend the glide distance, but the airplane was unable to reach the runway. He then conducted an off-airport landing on a service road. Upon landing, the airplane veered left and impacted a tree. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage, left wing, and empennage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The Federal Aviation Administrator inspector who examined the airplane reported that only about 16 ounces of fuel were drained from the fuel system, and no fuel leaks were found.
Probable Cause: The pilot's improper preflight fuel planning, which resulted in fuel exhaustion, a total loss of engine power, and impact with a tree during an off-airport landing.
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
NTSB
FAA register: https://registry.faa.gov/aircraftinquiry/NNum_Results.aspx?NNumbertxt=212DX
Location
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 21-Sep-2019 01:51 | Geno | Added |
| 21-Sep-2019 02:40 | Geno | Updated [Aircraft type, Total occupants, Source, Narrative] |
| 21-Sep-2019 04:01 | RobertMB | Updated [Time, Aircraft type, Registration, Cn, Operator, Phase, Nature, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative] |
| 23-Mar-2020 18:45 | ASN Update Bot | Updated [Time, Operator, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative, Accident report, ] |
| 23-Mar-2020 18:57 | harro | Updated [Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative, Accident report, ] |
Corrections or additions? ... Edit this accident description
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