On the Record: Carbon Cub—California

August, 2018

After completing routine maintenance, the pilot decided to conduct a test flight. He completed a preflight inspection, a ground engine run, and taxi checks, which were normal; he noted that about 12 gallons of fuel was on board the airplane. About 10 minutes after departure, he chose to extend the flight, as he did not observe any anomalies with the airplane. After an uneventful period of flight, the airplane was about 500 feet above ground level over mountain ridge tops when the engine lost partial power. The pilot maintained level flight and maneuvered the airplane toward more favorable terrain before the engine lost total power. Subsequently, the pilot performed a forced landing in a small clearing within heavily wooded mountainous terrain. During the landing roll, the airplane struck a tree and came to rest upright.

Post-accident examination of the airplane revealed no evidence of preexisting mechanical malfunctions or failures with the engine or fuel system, including the fuel quantity sight gauges, that would have precluded normal operation. The pilot reported that, after the accident, he noticed that the left-wing fuel cap was not fully secured. Wreckage recovery company personnel indicated that the right-wing fuel tank was void of fuel, and the left-wing fuel tank contained about a half gallon of fuel. It is likely that fuel vented through the loose fuel cap in flight, which reduced fuel quantity and led to the subsequent loss of engine power.

NTSB Final Report

NTSB Docket

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