Pipistrel D O O VIRUS SW N91RR

Summary

On 7 November 2022 at about 15:35 local time, a Pipistrel D O O VIRUS SW registered N91RR, operated by Right Rudder Aviation, was involved in an accident near Cross City, Florida, United States. 2 people were 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

7 November 2022 at 15:35

Classification

Accident

Location

Cross City, Florida, United States

Nearest airport

Cross City (CTY)

Coordinates

29.6388, -83.1233

Aircraft

Pipistrel D O O VIRUS SW

Registration

N91RR

Category

Airplane

Year built

2022

Engines

1

Operator

Right Rudder Aviation

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Quincy → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ERA23LA051

Nobody was injured.

The pilots’ inadequate preflight fuel planning and improper in-flight fuel management, which resulted in a total loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion and subsequent deployment of the ballistic parachute recovery system.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The two pilots were conducting multiple cross-country flights the day of the accident with the purpose of building flight time as part of an air carrier pilot development program. The pilots departed for the fourth leg of the day and the left seat pilot was primarily flying for this leg. Both pilots reported that while enroute they noticed the fuel level was low. Subsequently, about 15 nautical miles from the destination, the engine lost all power. The left seat pilot reported that the right seat pilot took control of the airplane after the loss of power. About 600 feet above ground level (agl) the right seat pilot deployed the ballistic parachute recovery system when it became clear that they would not be able to glide to an airport. The impact with the ground resulted in substantial damage to the fuselage. Post-accident inspection of the fuel system showed no fuel visible in either wing tank and no fuel visible in the inline fuel filters. The left seat pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures of the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.