Smith Miniplane DSA-1 N208C

Summary

On 19 June 2022 at about 15:30 local time, a Smith Miniplane DSA-1 registered N208C was involved in an accident near Union, Nebraska, United States. One person was on board and one had minor injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

19 June 2022 at 15:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Union, Nebraska, United States

Coordinates

40.8181, -95.8475

Aircraft

Smith Miniplane DSA-1

Registration

N208C

Category

Airplane

Year built

1963

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Omaha → Omaha

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CEN22LA260

1 person had minor injuries.

The pilot’s inadequate fuel planning, which resulted in a total loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot reported that, while in cruise flight about 1,000 ft above ground level, the engine began running rough. The pilot subsequently made a forced landing into a wooded area, which resulted in substantial damage to the airplane. Postaccident examination revealed that no fuel was present in the fuel line from the engine-driven pump to the carburetor. The carburetor bowl was completely dry, and the fuel tank was empty when viewed with a borescope. No anomalies were observed with the fuel cap vent, filler neck, carburetor, engine cylinders, magnetos, or the engine’s mechanical continuity. Based on the available evidence, it is likely that the airplane’s fuel supply was exhausted due to the pilot’s inadequate fuel planning, leading to a loss of engine power and forced landing. The airplane was not equipped with a fuel quantity gauge, which likely contributed to the pilot’s lack of awareness of the airplane’s low fuel state.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.