Event WPR12LA423

Factual narrative

On September 17, 2012, about 0954 mountain standard time, an experimental amateur-built Barney Starduster SA-100 airplane, N1356Y, sustained substantial damage following a loss of engine power and subsequent hard landing at the Chandler Municipal Airport (CHD), Chandler, Arizona. The private pilot, the sole occupant of the airplane, was not injured. The airplane was registered to the pilot, and operated as a visual flight rules flight under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed for the flight that originated from Casa Grande, Arizona, about 14 minutes before the accident. In a written statement to the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigator-in-charge (IIC), the pilot reported that the engine stopped developing power as he entered the airport traffic pattern at CHD. The pilot initiated a forced landing in an open area adjacent to runway 22L and landed hard. Postaccident examination of the airplane by a representative of the FAA revealed structural damage to the right wing and fuselage. The pilot reported that postaccident examination of the airplane revealed that the Number 4 steel braided fuel line that supplies fuel from the fuel pump to the fuel pressure sending unit, lost "integrity." The pilot estimated that he lost about 3.5 gallons of fuel during the 14-minute flight; the airplane subsequently lost engine power about 3 minutes before landing. The pilot stated that he departed Casa Grande with about 6 gallons of fuel onboard, and estimated that the flight would require about 2 gallons of fuel. The airplane's digital fuel totalizer showed about 4.2 gallons of fuel remaining within the main fuel tank after the accident; however, examination of the fuel tank (not breached) showed less than one gallon of total fuel remaining. The airplane's most recent conditional inspection was completed on May 11, 2011, about 16 months prior to the accident. Review of the operation limitations for the airplane revealed that item 12 states in part "…no person shall operate this aircraft unless within the preceding 12 calendar months it has had a condition inspection performed in accordance with Appendix D of Part 43 and found to be in a condition for safe operation." The pilot reported that he entered the airport traffic pattern and that the engine stopped developing power. He initiated a forced landing to an open area adjacent to the intended runway, which resulted in a hard landing. The pilot estimated that the airplane contained about 6 gallons of fuel at takeoff and that the flight required about 2 gallons of fuel. Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed that a fuel supply line had failed, which resulted in the loss of about 4 gallons of fuel in flight. This left less than 1 gallon of total fuel remaining, which was less than the usable fuel. It is likely that the loss of engine power was due to fuel exhaustion. The most recent conditional inspection of the airplane, which should have been completed about 12 months before the accident in accordance with the airplane's operating limitations, was actually completed about 16 months before the accident. If a conditional inspection had been completed, it is likely that the fuel line would have shown signs of deterioration that may have been seen during the inspection. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database Retrieved: 2026-02-12

NTSB Findings

Hierarchical cause / factor breakdown from the FAA bulk avdata database. Each finding tagged C (Cause) or F (Factor).

• C Aircraft-Aircraft systems-Fuel system-Fuel distribution-Failure - C
• C Aircraft-Fluids/misc hardware-Fluids-Fuel-Fluid level - C
• F Personnel issues-Task performance-Maintenance-Scheduled/routine maintenance-Maintenance personnel - F
• F Aircraft-Aircraft handling/service-Maintenance/inspections-Scheduled maint checks-Inadequate inspection - F