Extra Flugzeugbau EA 300/L N771JP

Summary

On 13 January 2021 at about 19:19 local time, a Extra Flugzeugbau EA 300/L registered N771JP was involved in an accident near Pell City, Alabama, 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

13 January 2021 at 19:19

Classification

Accident

Location

Pell City, Alabama, United States

Nearest airport

St Clair County (PLR)

Coordinates

33.5813, -86.2414

Aircraft

Extra Flugzeugbau EA 300/L

Registration

N771JP

Category

Airplane

Year built

1997

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Gadsden → Pell City

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ERA21LA107

Nobody was injured.

The pilot's mismanagement of the fuel supply, which resulted in fuel starvation. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s failure to follow the manufacturer’s engine restart procedures after a total loss of engine power and his incomplete preflight inspection.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot departed on a short local flight with 14 gallons of fuel in the main wing tanks and 12 gallons in the center tank. About 1,500 ft above ground level, the airplane experienced a total loss of engine power. The pilot initially attempted to restart the engine using fuel from the center tank in accordance with the Extra 300L Pilot’s Operating Handbook, which stated that engine restart in flight should be attempted on the center fuel tank. However, when the engine did not restart, he switched back to the main tanks but was still unable to restart the engine. The pilot made a forced landing, during which the airplane sustained substantial damage. A detailed examination of the engine revealed no anomalies. The engine was rotated manually, and thumb compression was obtained on all cylinders. A small amount of fuel was found at the inlet of the engine-driven fuel pump and the inlet to the fuel servo. The fuel inlet screen was removed from the fuel injector and found to be clean and unobstructed. About two to three drops of fuel were found in the line connecting the fuel injector to the fuel flow gauge. About two to three drops of fuel were also found in the line from the fuel flow gauge to the fuel manifold. After fuel was added to the center tank, the engine started and ran smoothly and continuously. The pilot stated that, before takeoff, he checked the fuel quantity in the left fuel tank but not the right fuel tank. The higher quantity of fuel toward the fuel pump compared with the quantity leading to the fuel manifold suggested that the lines were empty of fuel before the pilot switched to the center tank fuel supply, partially allowing some fuel back into the system but not enough to reach the combustion chambers before the pilot switched back to the main tanks. Thus, if the pilot had continued the restart procedure using the center fuel tank, as stated in the Pilots’ Operating Handbook, the engine would likely have regained power. Instead, fuel starvation occurred. The pilot provided information indicating that the accident could have been the result of the Extra EA300L fuel pickup tubes being rotated upward during maintenance, which would have prevented usable fuel from entering the fuel line. However, only trace amounts of fuel were found in the wing, and no maintenance records were provided to indicate when the fuel pickup tubes could have been incorrectly positioned.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.