POINT PLEASANT, WV, USA
N21GT
STARDUSTER SA-100
THE PLT STATED THAT SHE MADE A NORMAL PREFLT. SHE REPORTED THAT THE FLOAT TYPE FUEL GAGE INDICATED THAT THE MAIN FUEL TANK, WHICH HAD A CAPACITY OF 12 GAL, WAS HALF FULL. WHILE CLIMBING THRU ABOUT 500 FT AGL AFTER TAKEOFF, THE ENG SPUTTERED & LOST POWER. THE PLT PUMPED THE THROTTLE & THE ENG BEGAN RUNNING AGAIN FOR ABOUT 1 OR 2 SECS, THEN IT QUIT AGAIN. THE PLT TURNED AWAY FROM HOUSES & TRIED TO GLIDE TO A CORN FIELD. HOWEVER, SHE WAS UNABLE TO REACH THE FIELD & LANDED THE ACFT IN TREES. AN EXAM OF THE ACFT REVEALED ONLY RESIDUAL FUEL WAS REMAINING IN THE MAIN FUEL TANK & THE FUEL SELECTOR WAS IN THAT POSITION. THE LEFT AUX FUEL TANK WAS EMPTY, BUT THE RIGHT AUX TANK WAS NEARLY FULL. DUE TO THE DESIGN OF THE MAIN FUEL TANK, THE FUEL LEVEL IN IT COULD NOT BE VISUALLY SEEN. ALSO, DUE TO THE PLACEMENT OF THE BOBBER/FLOAT ON THE MAIN FUEL INDICATOR, THE ROD COULD STICK TO THE SIDES OF THE FILLER NECK. A WITNESS VERIFIED THAT THE FLOAT INDICATOR GAGE INDICATED HALF FULL DURING THE PREFLT.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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