NTSB Factual Report

On March 24, 2007, about 1505 Pacific daylight time, a Hackney Glasair TD amateur-built experimental airplane, N229DH, nosed over during a forced landing following a loss of engine power in cruise flight near Arvin, California. The airplane sustained substantial damage, and the airline transport pilot, the sole occupant, received serious injuries. The pilot was operating the airplane under 14 CFR Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the personal cross country flight, and no flight plan was filed. The flight departed from Holbrook, Arizona, at approximately 1300 mountain daylight time, and was en route to Shafter, California.

The pilot reported that he had recently purchased the airplane in Oklahoma and was flying it back to his home in Placerville, California. The airplane departed Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, and stopped in Amarillo, Texas for fuel. While in flight from Amarillo, Texas, a vibration developed in the airplane. The pilot chose to land at the closest airport, in Holbrook. After landing, the pilot inspected the wooden propeller and found splintering, which he believed caused the vibration. The pilot ordered a new, smaller diameter metal propeller and had it shipped to Holbrook, where he installed it on the airplane.

The aircraft departed Holbrook destined for Shafter, California. The pilot was approximately 30 miles away from his destination airport when the engine lost power. The pilot selected what appeared to him to be a dirt runway as a forced landing site. As he descended, he realized that the "runway" was actually a raised dirt road. Due to low altitude and airspeed, the pilot continued his approach. The airplane touched down on the road, but upon roll out veered off the left side and down a small embankment. The airplane rolled into a field and nosed over, coming to rest inverted.

During interviews and in a written report, the pilot stated his opinion that the loss of engine power was due to fuel exhaustion, which he attributed to the propeller change. The pilot noted that with the new propeller, the engine ran at higher revolutions per minute (RPM), which in turn resulted in "higher [fuel] burn." The pilot reported that he didn't account for the higher fuel flow when he calculated his airplane's fuel consumption.

During examination of the accident site, a Kern County Sheriff's Department deputy reported that he "did not see or smell any fuel leakage in or around the aircraft."

The pilot reported no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the aircraft.

NTSB Probable Cause

Loss of engine power resulting from fuel exhaustion due to the pilot's failure to refuel the aircraft en route. A contributing factor to this accident was rough/uneven terrain at the forced landing site.