Quicksilver MXL II SPORT UNREG

Summary

On 15 August 2015 at about 22:20 local time, a Quicksilver MXL II SPORT registered UNREG was involved in an accident near Pittsboro, North Carolina, United States. 2 people were on board and 2 were seriously injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

15 August 2015 at 22:20

Classification

Accident

Location

Pittsboro, North Carolina, United States

Nearest airport

Ron's Ultralight Field (1NC1)

Coordinates

35.8142, -79.2444

Aircraft

Quicksilver MXL II SPORT

Registration

UNREG

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Pittsboro → Pittsboro

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ERA15CA321

2 people were seriously injured.

The pilot's failure to open the fuel shutoff valve during the preflight examination of the airplane which resulted in a total loss of engine power during initial climb after takeoff due to fuel starvation.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

According to the pilot, after takeoff during the climb at approximately 150 feet above ground level, the engine in the unregistered, two seat airplane lost power and the airplane's handling became "mushy." His passenger began to panic, and he found it hard to concentrate and figure out what was happening. The airplane began to lose altitude and he began maneuvering to find a field he could land in. He then noticed that there was a power line in front of him. He was able to clear the power line, but the airplane struck the top of a tree and was substantially damaged. The pilot advised that while maneuvering to land, that when he turned the airplane slightly to the right, the airplane "wanted to fly," and if lowered the nose of the airplane to maintain airspeed, the power seemed to increase slightly. Examination of the wreckage revealed that even though the fuel tank was 1/2 full, the fuel shutoff valve was in the "OFF" (closed) position. The horizontally mounted fuel filter which was located downstream of the closed shutoff valve was only 1/3 full and did not have enough fuel to reach the inlet or outlet ports on the filter. The fuel line to the carburetor was devoid of fuel, and the carburetor float bowl contained less than a teaspoon.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.