Fuel Exhaustion & Starvation · NTSB ERA21FA010
CZECH SPORT CRUISER — Waterloo, AL
| Date | October 7, 2020 |
| Location | Waterloo, AL |
| Aircraft | CZECH SPORT CRUISER |
| Purpose of flight | Personal |
| Conditions | Day · Visual Meteorological Cond |
| Phase / occurrence | Emergency descent Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) |
| Pilot age | 69 |
| Pilot total time | 400 hrs · Building experience |
| Time in type | 400 hrs |
| Fatalities | 1 |
Probable cause
NTSB findings
- Aircraft-Fluids/misc hardware-Fluids-Fuel-Incorrect service/maintenance
- Aircraft-Aircraft systems-Fuel system-Fuel pumps-Failure
- Aircraft-Aircraft systems-Fuel system-Fuel distribution-Incorrect use/operation
- Personnel issues-Task performance-Maintenance-Installation-Pilot
- Personnel issues-Task performance-Maintenance-Modification/alteration-Pilot
- Aircraft-Fluids/misc hardware-Misc hardware-Hoses and tubes-Not installed/available
What happened
According to the pilot’s spouse, he departed on the morning of the accident to return home from a cross-country trip. A search was initiated when the pilot did not return as expected, and the airplane was found in a heavily wooded area about 45 nautical miles from an intermediate airport where the pilot had stopped to refuel.
Examination of the airplane revealed no anomalies with the flight controls and the examination of the engine did not reveal any anomalies that would have precluded normal operation. An examination of the fuel system revealed that an aftermarket electric automotive fuel pump was used in place of the recommended manufacturer’s fuel pump. The fuel pump was removed and connected directly to a 12-volt power source, and it did not operate. This type of fuel pump did not allow fuel bypass in the event of failure. According to the engine manufacturer’s fuel system installation instructions and a safety directive published by the airframe manufacturer, a bypass fuel line should be installed in the event of failure of the electric fuel pump, in order to enable a continuous supply of fuel to the engine.
Based on the available information, it is likely that the pilot experienced a total loss of engine power due to fuel starvation following the failure of the electric fuel pump. Also causal was the pilot’s decision to install the electric fuel pump with no bypass fuel line, contrary to published guidance from the airframe and engine manufacturers.