Dempsey Daniel M ZODIAC CH601XLB N978ER

Summary

On 25 March 2017 at about 19:30 local time, a Dempsey Daniel M ZODIAC CH601XLB registered N978ER was involved in an accident near Louisa, Virginia, United States. One person was 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

25 March 2017 at 19:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Louisa, Virginia, United States

Nearest airport

Louisa County Airport/Freeman (LKU)

Coordinates

38.0097, -77.9703

Aircraft

Dempsey Daniel M ZODIAC CH601XLB

Registration

N978ER

Category

Airplane

Year built

2014

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Louisa → Louisa

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

GAA17CA208

Nobody was injured.

The pilot’s in-flight fuel mismanagement and subsequent failure to maintain adequate airspeed while attempting to land on the runway, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall and a hard landing.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The private pilot in the light-sport, experimental airplane reported that the flight was conducted with the intent of burning off fuel because he planned to pick up a passenger. When the pilot entered the downwind traffic pattern, the engine stopped. The pilot reported that, "my mistake had been to not switch fuel tanks before the one I was on was sucked dry." The pilot switched the fuel selector to a full tank and attempted to restart the engine as he maneuvered to reach the runway. The airplane's airspeed was slow, and the airplane stalled. The airplane landed hard on the left side of the runway centerline and remained on the runway when it came to rest. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the firewall and the fuselage aft of the firewall. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.