ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 133761
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| Date: | Wednesday 29 April 1998 |
| Time: | 09:52 LT |
| Type: |  Rutan VariEze |
| Owner/operator: | Robert J. Grady |
| Registration: | N728RJ |
| MSN: | 2199 |
| Total airframe hrs: | 400 hours |
| Engine model: | Lycoming O-235 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | Middlebury, CT -
 United States of America
|
| Phase: | En route |
| Nature: | Private |
| Departure airport: | Waterbury, CT (KOXC) |
| Investigating agency: | NTSB |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
The pilot altered his preflight inspection, on the day of the accident, by putting an additive into the fuel. He stated that after doing so, he 'may not have tightened the right gas cap.' The pilot visually checked the fuel tanks, and reported 16 gallons of fuel onboard. He departed for a local flight and approximately 35 minutes later, while doing air work, the engine 'suddenly quit'. He attempted to glide back to the airport, and when he realized he would not make the runway, he performed a forced landing into a wooded area. Examination revealed the fuel tanks had maintained their integrity, with no indication of leakage. The right fuel cap was found off, hanging by its chain with no fuel in the tank and no indication of soil contamination beneath the tank. A 'trace' of fuel was found in the left tank and the center tank was empty. A Federal Aviation Administration Safety Inspector stated that no fuel was shown on either fuel gauge and no fuel was found in the fuel lines or carburetor, with about a half ounce of fuel in the fuel filter. There was no fuel smell on the ground surrounding the airplane.
Probable Cause: the pilot's inadequate preflight when he did not secure the right wing fuel tank cap which led to fuel exhaustion.
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
NTSB IAD98LA050
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 21-Dec-2016 19:26 | ASN Update Bot | Updated [Time, Damage, Category, Investigating agency] |
| 07-Apr-2024 13:33 | ASN Update Bot | Updated [Time, Operator, Other fatalities, Departure airport, Source, Narrative, Accident report] |
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