Amateur-built PAN accident near Vernal, Utah, March 18, 2003
On March 18, 2003 at about 4:20 pm local time, a amateur-built PAN, registered N11ZL, was substantially damaged in an accident near Vernal, Utah. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot's inadequate preflight preparation and his lack of familiarity with the airplane, which subsequently resulted in fuel starvation to the engine. Contributing factors were unfavorable wind conditions and the downdraft weather condition.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 18, 2003 · about 4:20 pm local time
- Place
- Vernal, Utah · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built PAN
- Registration
- N11ZL · registry record · serial ZL-1
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
This was the pilot's first flight in the airplane. During the preflight, the previous owner "stuck" the fuel tanks and told the pilot that the main tank had an estimated 15 to 16 gallons of fuel, and the auxiliary tank (wing) was full. The pilot reported that he did not look into his fuel tanks. The previous owner said that he never flew with the fuel selector in the auxiliary position; by putting it in the both position, the auxiliary fuel flowed into the main tank and the engine continued to draw directly from the main tank. The pilot said that he flew on the main tank for approximately one hour and then turned the fuel selector to the auxiliary position (fuel flows directly from the auxiliary tank to the engine). Approximately 20 minutes later the engine quit. The pilot changed back to the main position on the fuel selector valve, but because his cruise altitude was approximately 1,500 feet AGL, he had little time to rectify the situation. During the subsequent forced landing, to an elevated highway, the pilot encounter high crosswinds and a downdraft resulting in the airplane impacting with high vertical forces. Post-accident examination revealed the auxiliary tank was empty and the main tank contained 3 to 4 gallons of fuel.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,724 hours in all; 1 in this make and model; 62 in the last 90 days; 37 in the last 30 days; 1,605 as pilot in command; 583 on instruments
- Last flight review: July 19, 2001
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 400 hours
- Last inspection: condition inspection, October 15, 2001
- Maximum gross weight: 1,600 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Franklin IO-350-CL (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SBS Steamboat Spgs CO at 2:30 pm
- Destination: VEL Vernal UT
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 020° at 15 knots, gusting 22
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 6,000 ft; ovct at 6,000 ft
- Temperature: 36°F (2°C), dew point 25°F (-4°C)
- Altimeter: 29.70 inHg
- Observation at 4:53 pm from VEL, 11 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number DEN03LA051.