Harral GLASAIR 1 N16LA

Summary

On 31 July 1993 at about 21:03 local time, a Harral GLASAIR 1 registered N16LA was involved in an accident near Rusk, Texas, United States. 2 people were on board and 2 were seriously injured. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

31 July 1993 at 21:03

Classification

Accident

Location

Rusk, Texas, United States

Coordinates

31.7898, -95.1405

Aircraft

Harral GLASAIR 1

Registration

N16LA

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

FTW93FA222

2 people were seriously injured.

THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO SELECT THE PROPER FUEL TANK WHICH RESULTED IN A FUEL STARVATION ENGINE POWER LOSS AND HIS INADVERTANT ENTRY INTO A STALL DURING THE ENSUING FORCED LANDING.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

WITNESSES OBSERVED THE AIRPLANE DEPART ON WHAT ONE CHARACTERIZED AS A SHORT FIELD MAX ANGLE CLIMB TAKEOFF FOR A LOCAL FLIGHT. WHILE CLIMBING THROUGH ABOUT 200 FEET AGL, THE PILOT RADIOED ON UNICOM THAT HE WAS RETURNING TO THE AIRPORT, BUT DID NOT SAY WHY. THE WITNESSES THEN SAW THE AIRPLANE ENTER A RIGHT BANK AND NOSE DOWN. THE PASSENGER STATED THAT THE ENGINE LOST POWER AND THAT THE PILOT SWITCHED TANKS AND ATTEMPTED A RESTART WITHOUT SUCCESS AND THAT THE PILOT 'STALLED IT' IN THE TURN WHILE ATTEMPTING TO RETURN TO THE RUNWAY. THE PILOT HAD NO MEMORY OF THE FLIGHT. FUEL CALCULATIONS INDICATED THAT THE MAIN TANK WAS EMPTY AND THE AUXILIARY WAS FULL OR CLOSE TO FULL. NO EVIDENCE OF PRE-IMPACT FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION WAS FOUND IN EITHER THE AIRFRAME OR THE ENGINE. THE AIRPLANE HAD NOT BEEN REFUELED FOLLOWING A RECENT 3 HOUR CROSS COUNTRY.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.