History of Flight
On May 10, 2011, at 1446 eastern daylight time, a Flight Design CTLS, registration N78BZ, was substantially damaged during a forced landing near Troy, South Carolina. The certificated flight instructor (CFI) and certificated private pilot were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the personal flight operated under 14 CFR Part 91. The flight departed Malcolm McKinnon Airport (SSI), Brunswick, Georgia, about 1330, and was destined for Greenville Downtown Airport (GMU), Greenville, South Carolina.
According to the CFI, the airplane was serviced with 10 gallons of fuel, evenly distributed between the left and right wing tanks, prior to departure from SSI. Using a fuel quantity measuring stick, the CFI confirmed each tank contained 7.5 gallons of 100 low lead aviation fuel, which he estimated was sufficient for approximately 3 hours of flight.
About one hour after departure, while in cruise flight at 3,500 feet mean sea level, the pilots received a low fuel pressure warning on the airplane's multifunction display (MFD). The CFI assumed control while the private pilot handled radio communications, requesting to divert to Greenwood County Airport (GRD), Greenwood, South Carolina. At that time, the engine began to sputter. The CFI maneuvered the airplane towards a road for a forced landing, and the engine experienced a total loss of power. During landing, the right wing impacted a telephone pole guy wire. The right wing separated from the airframe, and the airplane came to rest upright in a ditch.
Personnel Information
The CFI held a commercial pilot certificate with ratings for airplane single- and multi-engine land, and instrument airplane, as well as a flight instructor certificate with a rating for airplane single-engine. He reported 246 total flight hours, including 15 hours in the accident make and model.
The second pilot held a private pilot certificate with a rating for instrument airplane. He reported 319 total flight hours, including 37 hours in the accident make and model.
Aircraft Information
According to FAA records, the light sport airplane was manufactured in 2008 and powered by a 100-hp Rotax 912ULS reciprocating engine. The most recent annual inspection was completed on April 2, 2011, at a total time in service of 284 hours. At the time of the accident, the airplane had accumulated 296 total hours.
Meteorological Information
The 1456 weather observation at Greenwood County Airport (GRD), approximately 18 miles north of the accident site, included calm winds, clear skies below 10,000 feet, temperature 31°C, dew point 16°C, and an altimeter setting of 29.94 inches of mercury.
Wreckage and Impact Information
A South Carolina State Trooper examined the fuel tanks at the site and reported the right wing contained a "sheen" of fuel. No fuel leaking from the wing or fuel on the ground was observed. The left wing tank was "completely dry." The CFI drained a small amount of fuel from the gascolator; it was light blue and free of contaminants. A local mechanic drained approximately one cup of fuel from the gascolator after securing the ballistic recovery system.
The following day, an FAA inspector examined the airplane after recovery to a hangar at GMU. Neither the wings nor engine compartment showed evidence of fuel leaking. The engine's upper spark plugs exhibited low wear. The engine was rotated by hand at the propeller, and compression was obtained on all cylinders. No fuel was observed in either carburetor.
On June 22, 2011, a Rotax representative and FAA inspector examined the engine. The carburetors were removed, found clean and dry. New spark plugs and a propeller were installed. A fuel can was plumbed to the engine, which was primed and started. The engine ran from idle to 3,800 rpm with no anomalies; magnetos operated normally, and engine temperature and oil pressure were normal throughout the test.
Additional Information
Fuel System: The airplane had two wing fuel tanks, each with 17-gallon capacity. Fuel gravity-fed through a filter into the gascolator, then to the engine and two carburetors. Usable fuel was 32 of 34 gallons total.
The airplane was equipped with a Dynon D120 engine monitoring system (EMS) providing fuel consumption, total consumption, and remaining fuel quantity. Remaining fuel indication required pilot input of initial fuel quantity. Fuel quantity could also be observed via clear tubes at each wing root inside the cockpit.
According to a Flight Design Aircraft Operation Instructions Performance Supplement, cruise fuel consumption at 3,500 feet with 75% maximum cruise power (5025 rpm) was 4.8 gph.
Non-Volatile Memory: The Dynon D120 EMS was removed and examined at the NTSB Vehicle Recorders Laboratory. It recorded data at 1-second intervals for the last 41 minutes of the flight (1405–1446 EDT). Fuel pressure averaged 3.9 psi from 1405 to 1438:54, then dropped to 3.5 psi and continued decreasing to an average of 1.3 psi. Engine fuel flow averaged 5.3 gph until 1438:37, then dropped from 4.9 to 3.6 gph over three seconds before reaching 0 gph. Fuel flow fluctuated for six minutes, mostly 8–13 gph but spiking to 95 gph, averaging 21.5 gph. At 1444:13, fuel flow dropped to 0 gph. Average engine rpm during cruise (1405–1441) was 5007 rpm; between 1441 and total power loss at 1444:08, rpm fluctuated (average 2795 rpm). EMS data indicated 9.5 gallons remaining at start, with the lowest recorded value of 4.6 gallons at flight end. Flight track data showed a constant northwest heading until about 1442, when a left turn toward the landing site began. Altitude was not recorded.