Quartz Mountain Aerospace Inc 11E N216JD accident near Inglis, Florida

Probable cause

A loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion as a result of the pilot's fuel mismanagement.

NTSB analysis

According to the pilots, they flew the rented airplane the day before the accident and returned it to the fixed base operator (FBO) to have it topped off with fuel. Later that evening, they flew it for about 2 hours, conducting touch-and-go landings at several different airports. They returned to the FBO late at night and did not refuel the airplane. The next morning, they split the preflight responsibilities. One pilot inspected the right side of the airplane, and the other pilot inspected the left side of the airplane. The fuel gauges were reportedly checked by one of the pilots, who thought the tanks were full. They subsequently departed with a passenger and reached their first destination after an estimated 30 minutes of flight. Afterward, they departed for an estimated hour-long flight to have lunch at a different location. After lunch, they took off for another airport 36 miles away to refuel, before returning the airplane back to the FBO. Ten minutes into the flight, the airplane experienced a total loss of engine power. The attempted engine restarts were unsuccessful, the pilot in command (PIC) elected to land in a field, and the airplane nosed over before coming to a stop. The three occupants were able to exit the airplane on their own. One of the pilots subsequently stated that a "miscalculation of the amount of fuel onboard” led to the accident. The responding Federal Aviation Administration inspector stated that there was very little evidence of residual fuel, and no indiction of preexisting fuel leakage at the accident site.

Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for ERA10CA333 for the full record.