Czech Aircraft Works CH 601 XL RTF N601VA

Summary

On 11 November 2006 at about 21:30 local time, a Czech Aircraft Works CH 601 XL RTF registered N601VA, operated by Mid-Atlantic Sports Planes Inc., was involved in an accident near Basye, Virginia, United States. One person was on board and one died. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

11 November 2006 at 21:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Basye, Virginia, United States

Nearest airport

Sky Bryce Airport (VG18)

Coordinates

38.8219, -78.7514

Aircraft

Czech Aircraft Works CH 601 XL RTF

Registration

N601VA

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Mid-Atlantic Sports Planes Inc.

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Instructional

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Basye → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

NYC07FA025

1 person died.

The pilot's inadequate preflight inspection, which resulted in a total loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

After 30 minutes of flying in the local area, the special light sport airplane was seen maneuvering about 1 mile northeast of the airport when the engine "surged," then became silent. Moments later, the airplane impacted trees in a wooded residential area. Examination of the wreckage revealed there was virtually no fuel in the fuel tanks or fuel system at impact. No preimpact malfunctions were noted with the airplane, and there was no evidence of rotation on the propeller. No fueling facilities were available where the airplane was based, and fueling documentation provided by the operator revealed the airplane flew seven times, for a total of 6.3 hours since its last refueling. The total fuel capacity for the airplane was 30 gallons, and engine fuel consumption ranged from a high of 7.1 gallons per hour at "takeoff performance" to less than 4.0 gallons per hour at "Max Cruising." The airplane flight manual (AFM) advised to "visually confirm fuel level" as part of the preflight inspection and to "Check fuel quantity" prior to takeoff. According to Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) records, the pilot at one time had been seeing a psychiatrist for the treatment of anxiety and depression and was taking citalopram and bupropion (prescription anti-depressant medications); however, three years prior to the accident, his psychiatrist reported to the FAA that he was no longer on the medication. The FAA then issued him a medical certificate, and advised him that he needed to abide by the rules that related to his physical deficiency. The pilot was prohibited by the FAA from operating an aircraft if new symptoms or adverse changes occurred, or if he experienced any side effects from, or required a change in medication. A review of the pilot's most recent application for a medical certificate 17 months prior to the accident, noted that the pilot did not mention the use of any anti-depressants. The application also indicated "No" to all other conditions under "Medical History," including specifically "Mental disorders of any sort; depression, anxiety, etc." The toxicology report noted that citalopram, N-desmethylcitalopram, and di-N-desmethylcitalopram (the metabolites of citalopram) were detected in the pilot's blood at levels approximately 10 times higher than those expected from the dosage previously prescribed for the pilot.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.