Amateur-built STARDUSTER accident near Cowlesville, New York, June 15, 2009
On June 15, 2009 at about 7:50 pm local time, a amateur-built STARDUSTER, registered N3LD, was substantially damaged in an accident during maneuvering near Cowlesville, New York (Buffalo Niagara International airport). It was a personal 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 engine power due to fuel exhaustion as a result of the pilot's inadequate preflight fuel inspection.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 15, 2009 · about 7:50 pm local time
- Place
- Cowlesville, New York · Buffalo Niagara International · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built STARDUSTER Too SA-300
- Registration
- N3LD · registry record · serial 1145
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to the pilot-owner of the amateur-built, tandem-seat airplane, prior to departure the partially filled main fuel tank contained an estimated 11 gallons of fuel. The pilot-owner based the quantity on the fuel gauge reading and his 9 years' experience with the airplane, but did not "stick" the tank. Another pilot, seated in the front seat, stated that the pilot-owner also observed "some" fuel in the auxiliary fuel tank, as "indicated by the float." After taking off and climbing the airplane to 3,000 feet, the pilot-owner demonstrated some maneuvers, which the front seat pilot then performed. None of the maneuvers were aerobatic, as fuel would have spilled from the non-sealed auxiliary tank. After maneuvering, the pilot-owner advanced the throttle to return to the airport, but the engine remained at what he thought was "low power" with "engine sound continuous - perhaps just above idle." The pilot-owner established a glide, activated the fuel boost pump, moved the fuel selector to the auxiliary tank, checked both magnetos, and tried various throttle settings before advancing the throttle to full and returning the fuel selector to the main tank. The pilot-owner subsequently performed a forced landing to a corn field, and upon touchdown, the landing gear sheared and the airplane nosed over. The following day, a Federal Aviation Administration examination of the airplane revealed damage to the left wing spar and rudder, and no fuel present in the fuel tanks, fuel lines or gascolator. An unknown quantity of fuel had leaked out of the auxiliary fuel tank. The pilot-owner subsequently noted, "it has become obvious that the engine quit for a lack of fuel," and that he felt the reason the auxiliary fuel did not "re-start" the engine was due to vapor lock. He further stated, "the major error I committed, was trusting the…fuel quantity indicated and not refueling the aircraft prior to this flight."
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 maneuvering defining event
- Loss of engine power (total) during maneuvering
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Planning/preparation › Fuel planning › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware › Fluids › Fuel › Fluid level
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight engineer
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 35,700 hours in all; 327 in this make and model; 28,900 as pilot in command; 19,200 on instruments
- Last flight review: April 14, 2009
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rear
- Injury: no injuries
Co-pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 630 hours
- Last inspection: condition inspection, July 15, 2008; 11 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,140 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540 C4BA (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Promise Recording INC
The flight
- Departed from: BQR Lancaster NY at 7:32 pm
- Destination: BQR Lancaster NY
- Flight plan: none
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 6,500 ft
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 48°F (9°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:54 pm from BUF, 9 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 2 |
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 N3LD 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.