The pilot purchased fuel at a self-serve gas pump prior to departure on a cross-country flight in his experimental Highlander.
About an hour after he departed, the engine stopped producing power and he made a forced landing to a soybean field near Central City, Kentucky.
The airplane’s nose gear collapsed, and the airplane flipped over on to its back, resulting in substantial damage to the left and right wings. The pilot sustained minor injuries in the crash.
He told investigators that the left-wing fuel cap was missing and that neither fuel tank contained any fuel.
While the pilot said that he replaced both fuel caps after he fueled the airplane, the left wing fuel cap was later found next to the gas pump where he pumped the fuel.
A functional test of the cap revealed that it fit securely to the left-wing fuel port.
As a result, it is most likely that the pilot failed to properly install the left-wing fuel cap after refueling the airplane, which resulted in loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion in-flight.
Probable Cause: The pilot’s failure to properly secure the left wing fuel cap before flight, which resulted in a loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion.
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This May 2021 accident report is provided by the National Transportation Safety Board. Published as an educational tool, it is intended to help pilots learn from the misfortunes of others.
That’s not my fuel cap at the self-serve pump. I am sure I took off with both fuel caps secure. What? the fuel cap you found at the self-serve pump fit the left-wing fuel tank perfect. Well maybe I did not secure the left fuel cap.
100% of the time, make a careful walk-around just before entering the cabin, and monitor fuel during the entire flight.
Had this guy landed “off field” and been able to refuel and take off, we would probably have never known about this. So a few questions: How many of these happen and how many “crashes” are by PICs over 70?
Had the pilot been watching the fuel gauges, he would have noticed the rapid fuel drain and, probably would have made a precautionary landing to inspect…. And we would never see this.
These types of crashes are going to impact those of us who cross that “magic” age. We may not be able to get insurance because of these kinds of crashes by people over 70.
What does being over 70 have to do with the price of eggs in china?
This pilot was over 70, unless I read the report wrong. And until you are in your late ’60s, you probably aren’t concerned about what your insurance will jump to, if you can even get insurance.
Or a warning light
Would it be that difficult to have a filler similar to modern cars. Some don’t even have filler caps
Yes, because those are on a vertical surface for drainage and you still have to shut the door.. Pretty simple to just replace the cap before moving away after filling.