ERA14FA260

The pilot's inadequate inflight fuel monitoring, which resulted in fuel exhaustion and the subsequent total loss of engine power. Contributing to the accident was the loose fuel cap, which allowed fuel to syphon out in flight.

The airplane departed on a cross-country flight after the pilot purchased 11.92 gallons of fuel. A flight plan found in the wreckage with the accident pilot's name on listed the fuel onboard as 3 hours and 30 minutes and a flight distance of 240 miles. The airplane wreckage was located about 130 miles from the departure airport. Postaccident examination of the propeller indicated that the engine was not producing power at impact. Examination of the wreckage and surrounding vegetation revealed no evidence of fuel within the fuel tanks and only slight amounts of blight, consistent with fuel spillage, on nearby vegetation at the accident site. Fuel staining was observed on the right wing, and the fuel cap did not have a detent. If the pilot had performed a preflight inspection of the airplane before departure, he would have noticed the fuel staining; thus it likely occurred during the accident flight, although it could not be determined why the pilot did not notice the loose fuel cap. Given the distance flown and cruise speed, the airplane's published fuel consumption indicates that the airplane would have consumed about 11 gallons of fuel in the 90 minutes of flight. Although both fuel tanks likely contained enough fuel for a flight longer than 90 minutes at takeoff, it is likely that any fuel in the right fuel tank was syphoned out during flight due to the loose fuel cap. Even though the estimated fuel consumption calculations showed that the total quantity consumed was less than what was indicated the flight plan, the lack of fuel observed at the accident site and the lack of evidence of any preexisting mechanical anomalies indicate that the total loss of engine power was likely the result of fuel exhaustion. Although the fuel selector valve's Teflon plunger was found fractured, which resulted in the selector valve binding, the fracture was consistent with impact damage. The airplane was not reported overdue for several days and was located in a wooded area about 3 days after it had departed. The airplane's emergency locator transmitter (ELT) unit had an "ON/OFF/ARM" switch that was found in the "OFF" position. The ELT may have been deactivated by first responders; however, given that there were no reports of ELT signals being detected in the area from the day of the accident until the airplane was located, the ELT was likely in the "OFF" position before the flight and did not activate due to the switch position, which delayed the search and rescue of the occupants.

HISTORY OF FLIGHT On May 23, 2014 about 1300 Eastern Daylight Time, a Grumman American AA1B, N8890L, was substantially damaged when it impacted several trees and terrain near Chester, South Carolina. The airplane had departed from Columbus County Municipal Airport (CPC), Whiteville, North Carolina, about 1130 and had an intended destination of Heaven's Landing (GE99), Clayton, GA. Day visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan had been filed. The commercial pilot and passenger were fatally injured. The airplane was operated by Warrior to Wings Aero Club and the personal flight was conducted under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. Review of Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) radar data revealed that the accident flight was first detected at 1137:49, northwest of CPC, at an altitude of 1,200 feet above mean sea level (msl). The flight flew northwest and then turned towards the west south west. The last radar data near CPC was recorded at 1155:25 at 2,500 feet msl. Radar data obtained from Charlotte Approach Control revealed the accident airplane east of the accident location at 1301:00 at 2,600 feet msl. The last radar data was recorded at 1306:36 at 2,300 feet msl, near the accident location. No further radar data was located. PERSONNEL INFORMATION According to FAA and pilot records, the pilot held a commercial pilot certificate with ratings for airplane single-engine land, multiengine land, helicopter and instrument airplane which was issued on October 23, 2013, issued on the basis of his military ratings. He held an FAA third-class medical certificate, issued June 6, 2011, which was issued with no limitations. At the time of the medical examination the pilot reported zero (0) total hours of flight experience and zero (0) hours of flight experience in the 6 months prior to the medical certificate. The pilot's logbook was located within the wreckage. The last recorded entry was dated May 18, 2014 and indicated a pattern work flight at Albert J. Ellis Airport (OAJ), Jacksonville, North Carolina. Including that entry the total recorded flight time was 37.6 flight hours and included 9.5 flight hours in the accident aircraft make and model. According to information provided by the United States Marine Corps (USMC), the pilot had 243.7 total flight hours with the USMC and included 78.1 hours in a single-engine propeller airplane. There were no entries that indicated the pilot had ever flown to GE99. AIRCRAFT INFORMATION According to FAA and aircraft maintenance records, the airplane was issued an airworthiness certificate on April 18, 1974, and was registered to Warriors to Wings Aero Club on April 13, 2013, following it purchase on April 12, 2013. It was a two-place, all-metal, low-wing monoplane with fixed-tricycle landing gear. It was powered by a Lycoming O-235-C2C 108-hp engine that had accrued 2,257.6 hours since new, with no entry of an overhaul recorded in any of the logbooks. It was also driven by a McCauley propeller 1A105 SCM 7153. According to the maintenance records, the last recorded tachometer entry was 2,254.4 flight hours, which correlated to the most recent 100-inspection entry for both the airplane and engine. The tachometer was located at the accident scene and indicated 2,257.6 hours. The airplane's fuel system utilized a tubular main wing spar comprised of a two-cell fuel tank (one cell in each wing). Each fuel cell held 12 gallons of fuel, of which, 11 gallons were considered usable. Fuel quantity was indicated by vertical sight gauges on the left and right cabin walls, each sight gauge corresponded to the respective side fuel cell. METEOROLOGICAL INFORMATION The 1255 recorded weather observation at Chester Catwaba Regional Airport (DCM), Chester South Carolina, located 8 miles to the northeast, included wind from 310 degrees at 8 knots, variable between 250 degrees and 350 degrees, visibility 7 miles, clear skies, temperature 32 degrees C, dew point 16 degrees C; barometric altimeter 30.03 inches of mercury. WRECKAGE AND IMPACT INFORMATION The airplane was found on May 26, 2014, in a wooded area within a 500-acre private hunting club, located at 34 degrees 40.21 North latitude and 081 degrees 17.01 West longitude, approximately 400 feet prior to a clearing. The clearing was about 500 feet long and 200 feet wide with the longest section oriented in a southwest to northeast direction. The main wreckage was located inverted at an elevation of 484 feet msl. The debris was located within a compact area. The impact line from the first tree strike to the final resting location was about 35 feet in length and on a decent angle of about 38 degrees. The engine remained attached to the airplane with the engine mounts, lines, and cables, and was co-located with the main wreckage. The wreckage debris path was oriented on 273-degree heading from the initial tree strike to the main wreckage. The area around the accident location was devoid of fuel smell; however, there was little evidence of blight on a few leaves in the surrounding foliage in the immediate vicinity of the impact location. However, the area of blight was not widespread in circumference. Fuselage The fuselage assembly, right wing, engine and propeller were located inverted at the base of tree. The left wing was located immediately underneath the wreckage at rest. The top of the occupant compartment remained intact aft of the windscreen, the windscreen was fractured into multiple pieces. The right side of the airplane was cut by first responders to facilitate recovering of the occupants. The nose gear was impact separated and was located about 15 feet forward of the wreckage, and was one of the furthest pieces from the airplane. Continuity to all flight control surfaces was confirmed from the T-bar at the base of the pilot control yoke to their associated control surface; except for the left aileron and flap. Both of the left wing flight controls were confirmed from the T-bar to the impact fracture point at the wing root and from that fracture point to the aileron and flap. The flap indicator and associated flaps were in the up (retracted) position. The fuel selector indicator was found between the left and right fuel tank detents. The fuel selector valve face plate had a mark on the plate in the same location between the left and right tank detent. The valve was removed from the airframe and the line fittings were removed to examine the position of the orifices. The fuel line that provided fuel to the engine and the fuel line associated with the left fuel tank were both found in the open position. The line associated with the right fuel tank was found in the closed position. Manipulation of the selector valve revealed limited movement within a 30 degree arc and the valve was disassembled. The Teflon plunger was found fractured approximately one-fourth of the way from the bottom of the plunger; the separated piece was found loose in the bottom of the valve body. The damage to the plunger was consistent with impact damage. The airplane's ignition key was found selected to the "BOTH" position. Vertical Stabilizer The empennage assembly remained attached to the fuselage. However, the rudder and elevator were impact-damaged and remained attached to the empennage assembly via the cables. Both the elevator and rudder indicated impact damage and multiple fracture points. The left elevator had impact and scrape marks on the upper side of the surface. The marks were associated with a scrape mark found on the tree that it came to rest against. The tree scrape mark began about 25 feet agl on the tree trunk and ceased about 5 feet agl. The rudder remained attached to the elevator assembly. The rudder and elevator cables were in place, and remained in the pulley groove. The cables remained secured and were continuous to the rudder bar and the T-bar in the cockpit. The rudder stops