Amateur-built Avid Bandit accident near Northville, Michigan, August 18, 2001
On August 18, 2001 at about 3:15 pm local time, a amateur-built Avid Bandit, registered N62PT, was substantially damaged in an accident near Northville, Michigan (Mettetal-Canton Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
fuel starvation due to the pilot's improper fuel calculations. A factor was the concrete building.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 18, 2001 · about 3:15 pm local time
- Place
- Northville, Michigan · Mettetal-Canton Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built Avid Bandit
- Registration
- N62PT · no longer on the register · serial 1509E
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane experienced a loss of engine power during cruise flight and was substantially damaged during a forced landing. The pilot reported, "... I noticed uneven fuel usage from tanks. Decision made to return to airport immediately, but engine quit en route." He attempted an engine re-start but was unsuccessful. He executed a forced landing to a racetrack. He reported the airplane collided with a concrete building. The airplane had no fuel in the right tank and 8 gallons of fuel in the left tank. No fuel leak was observed. The pilot reported that during the flight, he had the right wing fuel selector ON and the left wing fuel selector OFF. He forgot to select the left wing fuel selector to ON, and when the right wing fuel tank ran out of fuel, the engine quit. The pilot reported there were no mechanical malfunctions.
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
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 472 hours in all; 314 in this make and model; 18 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days; 472 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: August 19, 2000
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 315 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 21, 2001; 5 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,250 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rotax 912 UL (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 1D2 Plymoth MI at 2:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Wind: from 160° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 8,000 ft
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 61°F (16°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:53 pm from YIP, 11 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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.
Other NTSB records under N62PT the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.