Amateur-built STARDUSTER TOO SA300 N8DT accident near Fort Worth, Texas

Probable cause

The non-certificated pilot’s inadequate preflight planning, which resulted in a loss of engine power during takeoff due to fuel exhaustion.

NTSB analysis

Shortly after takeoff, the airplane's engine lost power. The pilot attempted to return to the runway but was unable to reach it so he attempted to land on a 1/4-mile-long driveway that paralleled the runway, but the airplane struck a tree and impacted the driveway. Postaccident examination revealed that the airplane's propeller and spinner had separated from the engine and had sustained minimal impact damage: there were no signatures of rotational damage consistent with the engine developing power at the time of impact. The airplane's fuel tanks were examined and no fuel was observed. The fuel tanks were not breached during the impact, and there was no evidence of fuel leaks or fuel stains at the accident site. The pilot was not a registered pilot and did not hold a Federal Aviation Administration medical certificate. The pilot's flight experience is unknown.

Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for CEN14LA290 for the full record.