RV6A - Final Report - N136TR
well, when you run out of fuel you will be given no quarter here. you will be given the official title of
"Village Idiot".
https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/ ... 195060/pdf
The pilot reported that before departing for the 508 nautical mile cross-country flight, he had a total of 38 gallons of fuel onboard. After departing his home airport, the pilot climbed the airplane to 11,000 ft mean sea level (msl) and was flying “[visual flight rules] on top.” While at 11,000 ft msl, the pilot requested radar vectors around some weather from air traffic control (ATC), during which time, the pilot noticed that his fuel consumption was much higher than he had anticipated. The pilot asked ATC for radar vectors to the nearest airport. The pilot described that the airplane “ran out of fuel” about 7 miles from the diversion airport. The pilot performed a forced landing in a field, resulting in substantial damage to the airplane’s fuselage and wings.
A post-accident examination of the wreckage by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector revealed that both wing fuel tanks were absent of fuel and there was no evidence of a fuel leak. After the airplane was recovered, the airframe and engine’s fuel systems were examined in detail and there was no evidence of any preimpact anomalies or failures that would have precluded normal operation.
Probable Cause and Findings
The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident to be:
The pilots’ improper in-flight fuel management, which resulted in a total loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion.
