No fatalities

19 Apr 2010: Evolution Trikes REVO — Birds in Paradise LLC — Eleele, HI

Eleele, HI, United States

On 19 Apr 2010, an Evolution Trikes REVO operated by Birds in Paradise LLC was involved in an aviation accident near Eleele, HI. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: A loss of engine power as a result of fuel exhaustion due to the pilot's improper decision to continue the flight after the low fuel warning. Contributing to the accident was the typographical error in the flight manual concerning the unusable fuel quantity. This summary draws on records from NTSB; 5 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.

SourcesNTSBPrimary reportUpdated 1778583330Data APIEditorial standards

During a student pilot's first dual instructional flight, the engine quit on a 1.5-mile final. The instructor made a forced landing on a dirt road, during which the trike nosed over. Post-accident inspection revealed 1.2 gallons of fuel remained, below the unusable level of 1.4 gallons. A fuel monitoring system warning had been observed by the pilot, and a manual error misstated unusable fuel as 0.4 gallons.

Accident Details

The sport pilot instructor reported that while conducting the student pilot's first dual instructional flight, the engine stopped during a 1.5-mile final approach to land. The instructor executed a forced landing onto a dirt road; during the landing, the trike nosed over. No other information about injuries or aircraft damage was provided in the source.

Fuel System Findings

A post-accident examination of the trike discovered 1.2 gallons of fuel remaining in the tank. This quantity is at or below the empty markings of the fuel tank. According to the manufacturer, the unusable fuel level for the aircraft is 1.4 gallons. The aircraft was equipped with a fuel monitoring system that activates when the fuel level drops below 2.7 gallons. The pilot told witnesses that he had observed the low fuel warning on the instrument panel.

Manufacturer Response

The aircraft flight manual contained a typographical error that stated the unusable fuel was 0.4 gallons. As a result of this accident investigation, the manufacturer corrected the error and reissued the corrected page to the aircraft flight manual.

Contributing factors

Causes

PilotFluid levelIncorrect use/operation

Other contributing factors

Related operating infoManufacturer