The pilot of the Super Zodiac 601 HDS told investigators that, during the preflight engine run-up, he diverted his attention to a phone call, and failed to switch the fuel selector to a fuel tank with adequate fuel.
During the initial climb, the engine experienced a complete loss of power. He made a forced landing in an agricultural field near Somerton, Arizona.
The airplane sustained substantial damage to both wings and fuselage.
Probable Cause: The pilot’s inadequate fuel management which resulted in a total loss of engine power due to fuel starvation.
To download the final report. Click here. This will trigger a PDF download to your device.
This May 2024 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.
We are not required to have a certain amount of fuel left after landing. The reserve fuel must be on board for takeoff per 91.151. If you fly into your reserve, no problem..that’s what it’s for! Now if you have the required amount at takeoff and run low somehow due to poor decision making they can get you for “careless or reckless “ (91.13).
Defies all thinking, so have no response to this.
There was a day when a Flight Instructor walked and talked with their Ab Initio Student on the path to the Aircraft designated for that day’s lesson. There was a day when a Flight Instructor took the time to stay with his or her Student during the Pre-flight Walk Around using “those valuable moments” to explain aspects of the aircraft that had previously been “words” published in a Ground School Manual.
Not so in today’s “digital age” driven by Cellular Phones peppered with a myriad of Texts and Messages seemingly more important than the job at hand. The Instructor uses the time to stay connected to something other than the Student. The very valuable teachable moment is lost and what is “worse” is the pattern established…The Student “learns” from the Instructor and believes that this procedure is standard…”learns” that the phone is more important than the pre-flight details that were overlooked due to re-inforced oversight. Takes the incoming message about picking up a quart of milk or some other extremely important text about making sure they take the garbage out…and ever so “naturally ignores the check list”, supercedes the importance of the Start Check List and…well so the story goes.
“The only time you can have too much fuel on board is when you are on fire!” The Cellular Phone and related screen time should be relegated to its proper place. In the Flight Bag and not in hand…literally.
Chris
I don’t how many similar reports I’ve read about fuel starvation over the last 10 years. Why are the PIC so stupid to not ensure they have enough fuel for the trip no matter how far it is. Would u take ur car on a trip with not enough fuel?
Jim
Westport Ontario
Canada
I once had an FO take a phone call when we were #1 for takeoff after an arriving aircraft. I asked him to put the phone down, to which he said “just a minute”.
I taxied back to the gate and got a new FO as we were in a crew base.
The point is, for some reason our cell phones often cause us to lose our ability to prioritize our activities.
I’m guessing that, in retrospect, the pilot in this article would agree that continuing the checklist. ignoring the call, would have been the most prudent course of action.
TOO MUCH DIGITAL.
Why not have sufficient fuel in each tank to meet the flight requirements.?
Then it doesn’t matter which tank is selected ?
Fuel is a lot less expensive than and crash repairs.!!
This was my immediate thought. It’s not rare that I’ll take off with one tank almost bone dry – it’s never! That’s holes in the Swiss cheese lining up right out of the gate. Though… I doubt that pilot will make that mistake again.
“ Pilot used an aux tank for taxi, that tank only had one gallon. All other tanks were full. “
There must be a good reason to have a one gallon tank on an airplane.
Maybe to depend on gravity during engine start, rather than using the battery to power both the electrical fuel pump for the Corvair and it’s starter motor …
Murphy works overtime, though.
What if the weight of the fuel is a concern that precludes that?
That should never be the case. We are required to have some minimum fuel after landing.
The 601HD has 30 gal tanks. Fulling them full leaves 430 lb for the 2 seats.
My Cessna 175B has 52 gal tanks, 312 lb of fuel. I still have 570 lb for the seats.!!
430 pounds for the 2 seats, lets see. I weigh 240, my brother is 230, that puts us over weight with both tanks full.
For the 2 of you to be under gross weight by 100 lb….a conservative number.
it wold have leave out 140 lb of fuel or 23 gallons, then having a 30 minute reserve , about 3 gallons.
That leaves 4 gallons of fuel.
SORRY, you can;t fly this aircraft with those 2 folks.!!
This was NO ACCIDENT. It resulted from using a partial check list which is a DELIBERATE CHOICE. If a checklist is interrupted for ANY reason it fails to be a complete check list. YOU DON”T KNOW what you don’t know you might have missed – even if the distraction was only brief. The only response has to be to go back and start from the beginning again. Absolutely no exceptions.