Deming, NM, USA
N254PM
DENNIS l ZUMBALT SKY BOLT
Before takeoff, the pilot fueled the airplane’s main header fuel tank with 25 gallons of automotive fuel. Shortly after takeoff, about 400 ft above ground level, the engine lost total power. The pilot performed a forced landing to a dirt field, during which the airplane landed hard and impacted a sand dune, resulting in substantial damage. Examination of the fuel system revealed that the fuel selector was selected to the AUX/wing fuel tank position. The pilot stated that he never fueled the AUX/wing tank, and that he only filled and operated off the main header tank. The pilot reported, and examination confirmed, that there were no mechanical malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The accident is consistent with a total loss of engine power due to fuel starvation as a result of the pilot’s failure to correctly position the fuel selector prior to departure.
On March 23, 2019, about 1130 mountain daylight time, an experimental, amateur-built Sky Bolt airplane, N254PM, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Deming, New Mexico. The pilot was seriously injured. The airplane was being operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. The pilot reported that he was departing on a local flight when the engine lost total power near the end of the runway at an altitude of about 400 ft above ground level. The pilot turned left and lowered the nose to maintain airspeed. Unable to make it back to the runway, the pilot made a sharp right turn and the airplane touched down in an open dirt area and traveled about 50 ft before it collided with a sand dune, then came to a complete stop upright. As a result of the landing sequence, the airplane sustained structural damage to the upper wing spar, the right lower wing panel, and the forward section of the fuselage. The pilot reported that he took off with 25 gallons of automotive fuel onboard, which he added to the main header tank before takeoff. The pilot further reported no mechanical issues with the airplane or engine before departure. The fuel selector was found in the AUX/wing tank position following the accident. Examination of the airframe and engine revealed no evidence of any preimpact mechanical malfunctions or anomalies that would have precluded normal operation. During a follow-up telephone interview, the pilot stated that he never fueled the AUX/wing tank, and that he only filled and operated off the main header tank.
The pilot’s failure to properly position the fuel selector before takeoff, which resulted in a total loss of engine power due to fuel starvation.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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