Smith MINIPLANE N721SC

Summary

On 24 July 2003 at about 03:40 local time, a Smith MINIPLANE registered N721SC was involved in an accident near Winnemucca, Nevada, United States. One person was on board and one had minor injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

24 July 2003 at 03:40

Classification

Accident

Location

Winnemucca, Nevada, United States

Nearest airport

Winnemucca (WMC)

Coordinates

41.1581, -117.6725

Aircraft

Smith MINIPLANE

Registration

N721SC

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Owyhee → Winnemucca

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Night

NTSB number

LAX03LA242

1 person had minor injuries.

The pilot's failure to refuel the airplane prior to fuel exhaustion, which resulted in a loss of engine power during cruise flight, and subsequent in-flight collision with terrain. A factor associated with the accident is the night light conditions.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The private pilot reported he was flying his experimental homebuilt airplane on a multi-leg cross country flight. He stated he became disoriented, and eventually ran out of fuel. During the subsequent night emergency landing, he placed the airplane in a steep, nose down attitude, and pulled up too late, colliding with terrain and sustaining structural damage to the airplane.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.