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WPR21LA248

2021-06-26 · Chester, California, United States · None · 1 aircraft · Status: Completed

Airport O05

Current FAA registration · N41XY

Make / Model
CZECH AIRCRAFT WORKS SPOL SRO ZENAIR CH701 SP
Engine
ROTAX SEE BOMBADIER
Seats / Engines
2 seats · 1 engine
Last airworthiness date
20031124
ADS-B equipped
Yes — Mode-S A4D3EB

Source: FAA Aircraft Registry (releasable master file).

Aircraft involved

Probable cause & findings

The pilot’s failure to properly position of the fuel selector valve, which resulted in a loss of engine power during initial climb due to fuel starvation.

Factual narrative

The pilot reported that, during the initial climb, the engine sputtered and he discovered that the fuel valve lever was in the OFF position. He moved the fuel selector and fuel pump levers to ON, but the engine lost complete power. The pilot then elected to conduct a forced landing to a marsh field, during which the airplane touched down hard, nosed over, and came to rest inverted. The right wing and the rudder sustained substantial damage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database Retrieved: 2026-02-12

NTSB Findings

FAA avdata. C = Cause, F = Factor.

  • — Aircraft-Aircraft systems-Fuel system-Fuel selector/shutoff valve-Incorrect use/operation
  • — Personnel issues-Task performance-Use of equip/info-Use of checklist-Pilot

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_2021_WPR21LA248.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

Search this event elsewhere

External sources are reported, not agency: signal that something happened, not fact about what happened.

Related research

Matched on aircraft type or causal vocabulary (fuel starvation). All research papers