Extra Flugzeugbau FLUGZEUGBAU EA260 N148GC
24 June 1998 · Georgia, Vermont, United States · Minor injuries
Summary
On 24 June 1998 at about 20:10 local time, a Extra Flugzeugbau FLUGZEUGBAU EA260 registered N148GC, operated by George S. COY, was involved in an accident near Georgia, Vermont, United States. One person was on board and one had minor injuries. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.
The record
- Date
- at 20:10
- Classification
- Accident
- Location
- Georgia, Vermont, United States
- Coordinates
- Not recorded
- Aircraft
- Extra Flugzeugbau FLUGZEUGBAU EA260
- Registration
- N148GC
- Category
- Airplane
- Engines
- 1
- Operator
- George S. COY
- Operating rule
- Part 91: General Aviation
- Purpose of flight
- Personal
- Phase of flight
- Not recorded
- Route
- Highgate → Unknown
- Aircraft damage
- Destroyed
- Weather
- VMC
- Light
- Day
- NTSB number
- NYC98LA132
People
1 person had minor injuries.
| On board | Died | Serious | Minor | Uninjured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
Probable cause
The pilot's inadequate inflight decision and the loss of engine power due to a blocked vent line. A contributing factor was an unreliable fuel gauge.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.
Read the full NTSB narrative
After about 40 minutes of flight the pilot stated that the engine started producing 'very limited' power. The main fuel tank gauge indicated empty and the auxiliary fuel tank gauge, taken off the left tank, showed 1/4 to 1/3 full. The pilot turned on the boost pump, which had no effect, then made a forced landing to a field. During touchdown, the left main landing gear encountered a hole and collapsed. The wing auxiliary fuel tanks feed the main tank with gravity fuel lines. The left and main fuel tanks were found empty, and the right tank had about 7 gallons in it. The gravity fuel line from the right tank was disconnected from the main fuel tank, but no fuel flowed from the line. However, when the right tank vent line was removed, fuel flowed from the gravity fuel line. When a thumb was placed over the hole where the fuel vent line had been, fuel once again stopped flowing. The pilot stated there was an inordinate amount of mud daubers in the region due to heavy spring rains. When asked why he continued to fly the airplane when the main fuel tank gauge read zero, the pilot stated that the fuel gauges were unreliable and he used timing to determine fuel consumption.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.
Other accidents in this area
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 Oct 1998 | Cessna 305A | Warren, Vermont, United States | - | Fatal | 1 |
| 6 Sep 1998 | Piper J3L-65 | Morristown, Vermont, United States | Whitcomb Aviation Inc. | Serious injuries | - |
| 12 Oct 1998 | Cessna 172G | Bennington, Vermont, United States | - | Fatal | 2 |
| 14 Dec 1998 | Bell 47-G5 | Essex Junction, Vermont, United States | - | Serious injuries | - |
| 26 Feb 1998 | Cessna 172 | Rutland, Vermont, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 10 Oct 1999 | American Champion (Acac) 8GCBC | Whiting, Vermont, United States | - | No injuries | - |