MONTGOMERY, AL, USA
N336SX
BUNN, RICHARD B. SWEARINGEN SX300
THE PILOT FILLED THE FUEL TANKS THE DAY BEFORE THE ACCIDENT FLIGHT AND FLEW AN UNKNOWN LENGTH OF TIME BACK TO HIS HOME AIRPORT. THE PILOT THEN FLEW FOR 3.0 HOURS ACCORDING TO THE AIRCRAFT'S HOBBS METER ON THE DAY OF THE ACCIDENT, PRIOR TO ENGINE FAILURE. JUST BEFORE THE ENGINE FAILURE THE PILOT REPORTED TO ATC A LOW FUEL STATE, AND AS THE ENGINE WAS FAILING THE PILOT REPORTED 'I AM RUNNING OUT OF FUEL.' THE RESCUE PERSONNEL WHO FIRST ARRIVED AT THE SCENE REPORTED THERE WAS NO FUEL LEAKAGE, FUEL ODOR, OR FUEL IN THE AIRCRAFT'S FUEL TANKS. EXAMINATION OF THE AIRCRAFT BY FAA INSPECTORS REVEALED THE RIGHT AND LEFT WINGS HAD VISIBLE FUEL LEAKS AND FRESH SEALANT WAS VISIBLE IN ATTEMPTS TO STOP THE LEAKS. ACCORDING TO THE AIRCRAFT KIT MANUFACTURER THE AIRCRAFT HAS A NORMAL ENDURANCE OF ABOUT 4 HOURS.
THE PILOT IN COMMAND'S DECISION TO OPERATE THE AIRCRAFT WITH KNOWN FUEL LEAKS AND HIS FAILURE TO MONITOR FUEL QUANTITY EN ROUTE WHICH RESULTED IN LOSS OF ENGINE POWER DUE TO FUEL EXHAUSTION.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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