Shaffer EVANS VOLKSPLANE N78VS

Summary

On 11 November 1999 at about 22:00 local time, a Shaffer EVANS VOLKSPLANE registered N78VS was involved in an accident near Stanley, North Dakota, United States. One person was on board and one was seriously injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

11 November 1999 at 22:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Stanley, North Dakota, United States

Coordinates

48.3108, -102.3806

Aircraft

Shaffer EVANS VOLKSPLANE

Registration

N78VS

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CHI00LA028

1 person was seriously injured.

refueling not performed by the non-rated pilot and the lack of total experience of the non-rated pilot. Factors to the accident were fuel exhaustion, the unsuitable terrain for landing encountered by the non-rated pilot, and the rough/uneven terrain condition.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

According to the non-rated pilot's written statement, he arrived at the Stanley Municipal Airport at 1130, inspected the airplane, and filled the fuel tank. The non-rated pilot reported that he was practicing low and high-speed taxi operations on the accident day. The non-rated pilot stated that he practiced taxing until 1400 when he stopped for lunch. The non-rated pilot reported that he returned to the airport, and resumed taxi operations, at 1500. The non-rated pilot stated that at approximately 1545 the airplane became airborne and there was not enough runway remaining to land. The non-rated pilot reported that he continued to fly the aircraft, entered a traffic pattern, and when the airplane was on final approach to the runway the engine lost total power. The non-rated pilot reported that he landed the airplane in a rolling agricultural field, on a southerly heading. The non-rated pilot reported that he did not have any flight time prior to the accident flight and did not have an aviation medical or student pilot certificate. Examination of the engine revealed that there was no fuel present throughout the engine and its fuel system. The accident aircraft had a fuel capacity of 8-gallons. According to a distributor of Volkswagen engine conversions, the fuel burn rate for a 1600cc-type engine, at 3,100 rpm, is 3.5 gallons per hour.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.