N99F

Substantial
None

Fowler SX300S/N: 12

Accident Details

Date
Wednesday, July 30, 2008
NTSB Number
LAX08CA249
Location
Cheyenne, WY
Event ID
20080905X01395
Coordinates
41.150001, -104.816665
Aircraft Damage
Substantial
Highest Injury
None
Fatalities
0
Serious Injuries
0
Minor Injuries
0
Uninjured
1
Total Aboard
1

Probable Cause and Findings

Loss of engine power due to fuel starvation.

Aircraft Information

Registration
Make
FOWLER
Serial Number
12
Engine Type
Reciprocating
Year Built
1990
Model / ICAO
SX300
Aircraft Type
Fixed Wing Single Engine
No. of Engines
1
Seats
2
FAA Model
SWEARINGEN SX300

Registered Owner (Current)

Name
RAINBOW SPORTS INC
Address
PO BOX 3370
City
ENID
State / Zip Code
OK 73702-3370
Country
United States

Analysis

At the end of a 2-hour flight the airplane was 3.8 miles from the airport when the engine began to surge. The pilot overflew the airport in order to troubleshoot the problem. The pilot reported that he was at 135 knots, and the fuel selector was set to the right fuel tank, which had approximately 10 gallons of fuel in it. The surging stopped, and the pilot requested a left downwind for runway 27. Within 1 minute the surging returned, he turned toward the air field, and the engine lost all power. The pilot maintained 125 knots and performed a dead stick landing on runway 31. The airplane veered off the side of the runway and into flat unprepared terrain.

The builder of the airplane related to the pilot that the SX300 has very limited wing dihedral, and the ball needs to be kept in the center, or else the fuel pickup would unport.

Data Source

Data provided by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). For more information on this event, visit the NTSB Records Search website. NTSB# LAX08CA249