N715DZ

On June 9, 2000, about 1030 eastern daylight time, a Daniel J. Zoerb Kitfox experimental homebuilt airplane, N715DZ, registered to and operated by the pilot, was substantially damaged when it collided with terrain following a loss of engine power during cruise flight near Spruce Pine, Georgia. The private pilot, the sole occupant aboard, received serious injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the personal flight being conducted under Title 14 CFR Part 91. The flight originated from Avery County/Morrison Airport in Spruce Pine, North Carolina, at 1015, with a planned destination of Shiflet Airport in Marion, Georgia.

According to the pilot, he was planning to fly to Marion, Georgia, located 13.5 nm south of Spruce Pine, Georgia, for the purpose of having an annual maintenance inspection performed on the airplane. The pilot stated that the taxi and run-up took approximately five minutes, and he then departed on runway 16. Shortly after departure, the pilot leveled off at a cruising altitude of 1,000 feet above ground level. Approximately 15 minutes after departure while three miles south of the departure airport, the airplane's engine began to lose power. According to the pilot, the engine "took about 45 seconds to gradually quit." The airplane collided with trees in a heavily wooded area, descended approximately 80 feet to the ground, then nosed over.

The pilot stated that five days prior to the accident, he added five gallons of automotive fuel to three existing gallons in the fuel tanks, and departed with approximately 8 gallons of fuel in the fuel tanks. The total fuel capacity is 12 gallons, and the airplane burns approximately 3.9 gallons per hour. A review of the airplane's maintenance records revealed that the last annual inspection on the airframe and the engine was performed on January 1, 1997. At the time of the accident, the airplane had flown 5 hours since the last inspection was performed. An on-scene examination of the airframe and engine by an FAA inspector revealed no mechanical discrepancies. According to the inspector, evidence of fuel was found at the accident site.

At 1020, weather conditions at Morgantown, North Carolina, located 20 miles east of the accident site, were reported as clear skies, a temperature of 22 degrees C. (72 degrees F.) and a dew point of 17 degrees C. (63 degrees C.). According to an icing probability chart, weather conditions were favorable for the formation of carburetor ice.