Remos G-3/6000 accident near Oshkosh, Wisconsin, July 1, 2009
On July 1, 2009 at about 8:45 pm local time, a Remos G-3/6000, registered N261RA, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute near Oshkosh, Wisconsin. It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A total loss of total engine power due to fuel exhaustion as a result of the instructor pilot's inadequate preflight inspection. Contributing to the accident was the creased fuel quantity tube.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 1, 2009 · about 8:45 pm local time
- Place
- Oshkosh, Wisconsin · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Remos G-3/6000
- Registration
- N261RA · registry record · serial 219
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The instructor pilot reported that she preflighted the fuel quantity of the high-wing Special Light Sport Aircraft (S-LSA) by looking at the fuel quantity tube that was located between the pilots’ seats. She reported that it indicated 1/2 tank, or about 11 gallons of fuel. The pilot departed on a demonstration flight. After approximately 30 minutes of flight, the pilot was returning to the airport when the engine stopped. The engine was restarted, but stopped again about one minute later. The engine stopped and was restarted about five times. The pilot executed a forced landing to a field, and the airplane nosed over during the landing roll. Inspection of the fuel system revealed that it was empty; the engine ran when fuel was provided. The inspection of the fuel quantity tube revealed that it was “discolored,” and that there was a crease in the tube at the half-way point. The pilot reported that the crease in the tube made it appear that there was 1/2 tank of fuel. The airplane was also equipped with a fuel quantity gauge on the instrument panel which operated normally.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Fuel exhaustion during enroute defining event
- Loss of engine power (total) during emergency descent
- Nose over/nose down during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Inspection › Preflight inspection › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware › Fluids › Fuel › Fluid level
- factor Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Fuel system › Fuel indication system › Damaged/degraded
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 425 hours in all; 28 in this make and model; 56 in the last 90 days; 28 in the last 30 days; 270 as pilot in command; 24 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rotax 912-UL-S (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Experimental Aircraft Association
The flight
- Departed from: OSH Oshkosh WI at 3:22 pm
- Destination: OSH Oshkosh WI
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.