Summary
On December 02, 2016, a Diamond Aircraft Ind INC DA-20 (N992CT) was involved in an incident near Payson, UT. All 1 person aboard were uninjured. The aircraft sustained substantial damage.
The National Transportation Safety Board determined the probable cause of this incident to be: The student pilot's improper in-flight fuel planning, which resulted in fuel exhaustion.
The solo student pilot reported that while on a cross-country flight, the weather deteriorated at the destination airport. He decided to complete a touch-and-go landing at an airport along the route and then return to the departure airport. The student pilot further reported that when he began the flight back to his original point of departure, the airplane had about ¾ tank of fuel remaining and a headwind was present. About 10 to 15 nautical miles from the original departure airport, the fuel supply was exhausted and the student pilot made a forced landing in a field.
This incident is documented in NTSB report GAA17CA088. AviatorDB cross-references NTSB investigation data with FAA registry records to provide comprehensive safety information for aircraft N992CT.
Accident Details
Probable Cause and Findings
The student pilot's improper in-flight fuel planning, which resulted in fuel exhaustion.
Aircraft Information
Registered Owner (Historical)
Analysis
The solo student pilot reported that while on a cross-country flight, the weather deteriorated at the destination airport. He decided to complete a touch-and-go landing at an airport along the route and then return to the departure airport. The student pilot further reported that when he began the flight back to his original point of departure, the airplane had about ¾ tank of fuel remaining and a headwind was present. About 10 to 15 nautical miles from the original departure airport, the fuel supply was exhausted and the student pilot made a forced landing in a field. During the forced landing, the right wing struck a tree and was substantially damaged.
The student pilot did not report any preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane 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# GAA17CA088