N475TW

Substantial
None

Welch RV-9S/N: 90475

Accident Details

Date
Sunday, October 14, 2007
NTSB Number
SEA08CA010
Location
Bigfork, MT
Event ID
20071121X01834
Coordinates
48.080554, -114.001663
Aircraft Damage
Substantial
Highest Injury
None
Fatalities
0
Serious Injuries
0
Minor Injuries
0
Uninjured
2
Total Aboard
2

Probable Cause and Findings

Fuel starvation while on downwind for landing. The pilot's inadequate in-flight fuel management planning was a factor.

Aircraft Information

Registration
N475TW
Make
WELCH
Serial Number
90475
Engine Type
Reciprocating
Year Built
2001
Model / ICAO
RV-9RV9
Aircraft Type
Fixed Wing Single Engine
No. of Engines
1

Registered Owner (Historical)

Name
SALE REPORTED
Address
XXXXX
Status
Deregistered
City
OKLAHOMA CITY
State / Zip Code
OK 73125
Country
United States

Analysis

The pilot reported that at the completion of a third flight for the day, he was returning to the airport for landing. The flight entered downwind when the engine sputtered, ran smoothly, then lost power. The pilot switched the fuel selector from the right tank to the left tank and attempted to restart the engine. The engine would not start and the pilot initially thought that he could make the end of the runway, however the aircraft lost altitude and the landing gear hit the edge of the road short of the runway and the aircraft slid through a barb wire fence and onto the runway. Both wings and the tail section were substantially damaged.

After the accident, the pilot stated that he found the right fuel tank "extremely low" and the left fuel tank about a third full. The pilot continued to state that after changing to the left fuel tank, he believed that the fuel pump did not fill the header tank fast enough for an engine restart.

Data Source

Data provided by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). For more information on this event, visit the NTSB Records Search website. NTSB# SEA08CA010