Diamond DA 20-A1 N50ML

Summary

On 21 April 2007 at about 20:15 local time, a Diamond DA 20-A1 registered N50ML was involved in an accident near Warrenton, Missouri, 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

21 April 2007 at 20:15

Classification

Accident

Location

Warrenton, Missouri, United States

Coordinates

38.8050, -91.1742

Aircraft

Diamond DA 20-A1

Registration

N50ML

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

London → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CHI07CA116

Nobody was injured.

The pilot's inadequate pre-flight planning which resulted in exhaustion of the fuel supply and the unsuitable terrain encountered for the forced landing. A factor in the accident was inaccurate fuel quantity indication.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The airplane was substantially damaged during a forced landing following a loss of engine power during cruise flight. Examination of the airplane after the accident revealed no usable fuel remaining in the fuel tanks. A photograph of the fuel gauge that was taken after the accident showed the gauge indicating about 3/4 tank. During the subsequent examination, the fuel gauge showed about 1/4 tank. In a telephone conversation, the pilot stated that the airplane had been aloft for about 3 hours at the time the engine quit. He stated that he was familiar with this type airplane and knew that the airplane was capable of about 3 hours and 45 minutes of flight endurance. He stated that he was planning on stopping for fuel within the next 10 minutes of the accident time. He did not have a planned fuel stop and he was going to use his global positioning system receiver to select a suitable airport for fuel. The pilot selected a gravel road for the forced landing but landed short in a field. A fuel receipt indicated that the airplane had been fueled at the departure airport with 21.5 gallons of fuel at 0941 eastern daylight time on the day of the accident. The type certificate data sheet lists the airplane's fuel capacity as 20.9 gallons with 20.3 gallons usable fuel. The accident time was reported as 1515 central daylight time.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.