Fuel Exhaustion & Starvation · NTSB CEN11FA469
BOWIE RICHARD SONERAI II — Dudley, MO
| Date | July 9, 2011 |
| Location | Dudley, MO |
| Aircraft | BOWIE RICHARD SONERAI II (amateur-built) |
| Purpose of flight | Personal |
| Conditions | Day · Visual Meteorological Cond |
| Phase / occurrence | Landing Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) |
| Pilot age | 52 |
| Pilot total time | 2,243 hrs · Experienced |
| Time in type | 53 hrs |
| Fatalities | 1 |
Probable cause
NTSB findings
- Aircraft-Aircraft oper/perf/capability-Performance/control parameters-(general)-Not attained/maintained - C
- Personnel issues-Action/decision-Info processing/decision-Decision making/judgment-Pilot - C
- Personnel issues-Physical-Impairment/incapacitation-Illicit drug-Pilot - C
- Aircraft-Fluids/misc hardware-Fluids-Fuel-Fluid level - C
What happened
The airplane impacted an open farm field in a left-wing-low, nose-down attitude. A postaccident examination of the airframe and engine revealed no evidence of mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. The airplane's fuel tank was found empty, and only the fuel gascolator contained fuel. No fuel smell was detected in the soil beneath the airplane or engine. Toxicological samples indicated that the pilot had recently used marijuana. The detected levels of the drug and its metabolite indicated that the pilot was likely impaired by its use at the time of the accident. On the basis of the available information, it is likely that the pilot flew the airplane until it ran out of fuel and then attempted a forced landing.