N93725

Substantial
Minor

Wolseley Motors, Inc. SE5-AS/N: 0852 T

Accident Details

Date
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
NTSB Number
CEN10CA441
Location
Seymour, IN
Event ID
20100727X12740
Coordinates
38.924720, -85.908332
Aircraft Damage
Substantial
Highest Injury
Minor
Fatalities
0
Serious Injuries
0
Minor Injuries
1
Uninjured
0
Total Aboard
1

Probable Cause and Findings

A loss of engine power during initial climb due to fuel exhaustion. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's diverted attention while attempting to restart the engine.

Aircraft Information

Registration
N93725
Make
WOLSELEY MOTORS, INC.
Serial Number
0852 T
Year Built
2008
Model / ICAO
SE5-A

Registered Owner (Historical)

Name
KRUEGER PHILLIP E
Address
8662 HOUSTON RD
Status
Deregistered
City
FREETOWN
State / Zip Code
IN 47235-9624
Country
United States

Analysis

The accident occurred during a test flight after the airplane had been repaired from a previous accident. The experimental amateur-built airplane was a reproduction of a WWI British bi-wing fighter that was in production from 1916-1918. The pilot noted that the purpose of the flight was to obtain airborne fuel burn data and to further calibrate the airplane's electric fuel quantity gauge. The airplane's fuel tanks had been filled and drained several times during his previous attempts to calibrate the fuel quantity gauge. The piloted noted that the last time the airplane had been serviced with fuel was 5 days before the accident. He stated that while on initial climb from runway 14 (5,502 by 100 feet, asphalt), about 60 feet above the ground, the airplane experienced a total loss of engine power. The pilot reported that the airplane stalled as he attempted to restart the engine. The airplane impacted terrain about 60 feet west of the runway, approximately 2/3 down the length of the runway. The right upper and lower wings, the left lower wing, and the forward fuselage primary structure were substantially damaged. A postaccident inspection found no evidence of any useable fuel in the airplane's four fuel tanks. Additionally, there was no evidence of a fuel spill at the accident site. The pilot reported that there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation of the airplane or its engine. He also stated that the accident could have been prevented if he had focused on landing the airplane on the remaining runway, instead of attempting to restart the engine.

Data Source

Data provided by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). For more information on this event, visit the NTSB Records Search website. NTSB# CEN10CA441