Cirrus SR20 N499SF

Summary

On 15 October 2012 at about 18:31 local time, a Cirrus SR20 registered N499SF was involved in an accident near Parker, Arizona, United States. 2 people were on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

15 October 2012 at 18:31

Classification

Accident

Location

Parker, Arizona, United States

Nearest airport

Parker (P20)

Coordinates

34.1368, -114.2868

Aircraft

Cirrus SR20

Registration

N499SF

Category

Airplane

Year built

2005

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Santa Ana → Prescott

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

WPR13LA011

Nobody was injured.

The pilot's failure to perform an adequate preflight inspection, which resulted in inadequate fuel for the flight and the subsequent fuel exhaustion and a total loss of engine power. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's failure to land the airplane at the first indication of low fuel.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

Prior to the first flight of the day, the pilot visually established the fuel quantity through the filler necks, observing what he believed to be full tanks. He subsequently checked the fuel gauges, which indicated that the wing tanks were each under half full. Surmising that the gauges were faulty, he departed on a short flight to a local airport to collect a passenger. After picking up the passenger, they departed for a cross-country flight. He did not service the airplane with fuel prior to departure, and after travelling for about 90 minutes the airplane ran out of fuel. Examination of recorded data recovered from the airplane's flight displays revealed that its fuel consumption was appropriate for the flight profile. Subsequent examination of the airframe revealed that both fuel tanks were empty, and neither the engine nor airframe exhibited indications of a fuel leak. The data further revealed that the airplane was approaching an airport as one of the tanks ran dry. The engine lost power; however, rather than landing, the pilot continued the flight after switching to the other tank. The other tank ran dry a short time later, and he performed a forced landing into a rocky outcropping, where the airplane sustained substantial damage.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.