Summary
On August 14, 2012, a Boughner R 80 TIGER MOTH (N615SX) was involved in an accident near Ramona, CA. The accident resulted in 1 serious injury. The aircraft sustained substantial damage.
The National Transportation Safety Board determined the probable cause of this accident to be: The pilot’s improper fuel management, which resulted in a loss of engine power due to fuel starvation.
The pilot reported that prior to the cross country flight, which would require approximately 6 gallons of fuel to complete; he had 7 gallons of fuel in the main fuel tank and 5 gallons in the auxiliary tank. The cross country flight was uneventful; about 0.5-miles away from the airport, on the base leg, the airplane’s engine stopped developing power. The pilot reported he was unable to open the auxiliary tank valve in a timely manner before the airplane impacted terrain approximately 100 yards east of the runway. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation.
This accident is documented in NTSB report WPR12CA358. AviatorDB cross-references NTSB investigation data with FAA registry records to provide comprehensive safety information for aircraft N615SX.
Accident Details
Probable Cause and Findings
The pilot’s improper fuel management, which resulted in a loss of engine power due to fuel starvation.
Aircraft Information
Registered Owner (Historical)
Analysis
The pilot reported that prior to the cross country flight, which would require approximately 6 gallons of fuel to complete; he had 7 gallons of fuel in the main fuel tank and 5 gallons in the auxiliary tank. The cross country flight was uneventful; about 0.5-miles away from the airport, on the base leg, the airplane’s engine stopped developing power. The pilot reported he was unable to open the auxiliary tank valve in a timely manner before the airplane impacted terrain approximately 100 yards east of the runway. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation.
Data Source
Data provided by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). For more information on this event, visit the NTSB Records Search website. NTSB# WPR12CA358