Amateur-built LANCAIR 360 accident near Owensboro, Kentucky, December 29, 2008
On December 29, 2008 at about 7:00 pm local time, a amateur-built LANCAIR 360, registered N360AS, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute (cruise) near Owensboro, Kentucky. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The loss of engine power due to fuel starvation. Contributing to the accident was the failure of the fuel selector valve cotter pin and the inoperative main (center) fuel tank gauge.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 29, 2008 · about 7:00 pm local time
- Place
- Owensboro, Kentucky · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built LANCAIR 360
- Registration
- N360AS · no longer on the register · serial 977-320-817-SFB
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During the first 20 minutes of flight, the fuel selector was set to the main (center) tank. The pilot then switched the selector to the left wing tank, and then to the right tank during the flight. Approximately 20 minutes after switching back to the left tank, the engine lost power. While performing the emergency checklist the fuel selector was found to move freely with little resistance. In a statement written to the National Transportation Safety Board, the pilot stated that he knew the main tank fuel gauge was not working and that if it were operational it would have alerted him to the fuel selector valve control failure. Examination of the airplane revealed that the center fuel tank had a capacity of 10 gallons of fuel and it was not breached. This tank was found empty of fuel. Further inspection of the fuel selector valve and handle revealed that a cotter pin used to secure the handle to the shaft which turns the valve was sheared. This resulted in movement of the fuel selector handle not changing the position of the valve and remaining on the main fuel tank position.
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 starvation during enroute (cruise) defining event
- Loss of engine power (total) during enroute (cruise)
- Off-field or emergency landing during landing
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Fuel system › Fuel selector/shutoff valve › Malfunction
- factor Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Fuel system › Fuel quantity indicator › Failure
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Terrain › Rough terrain › Contributed to outcome
Pilot
- Certificate: military, private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 3,250 hours in all; 57 in this make and model; 22 in the last 90 days; 13 in the last 30 days; 3,120 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: March 21, 2008
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 330 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 1, 2008; 330 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,685 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming TIO-360-F1A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: RVS Tulsa OK at 4:50 pm
- Destination: OWB Owensboro OK
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 220° at 15 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 52°F (11°C), dew point 32°F (0°C)
- Altimeter: 30.19 inHg
- Observation at 6:56 pm from OWB
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.
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.