Air Creation TANARG accident near Kailua-Kona, Hawaii, March 20, 2019
On March 20, 2019 at about 7:00 pm local time, a 2006 Air Creation TANARG (weight-shift aircraft), registered N912TJ, was substantially damaged in an accident during maneuvering near Kailua-Kona, Hawaii. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's improper preflight fuel planning, which resulted in a total loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 20, 2019 · about 7:00 pm local time
- Place
- Kailua-Kona, Hawaii · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Air Creation TANARG, built 2006 · all TANARGs on the register
- Registration
- N912TJ · no longer on the register · serial T06113
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot of the weight-shift-control aircraft reported that he departed with 6 gallons of fuel onboard the airplane and that he estimated that the fuel burn was 3 gallons per hour. He added that, during the flight, he performed multiple climbs and descents, and he believed the aircraft burned more fuel than usual. He added that, about 1 hour 15 minutes into the flight, the engine lost power. He restarted the engine momentarily, but it then lost power again. He attempted to restart the engine multiple times to no avail. During the forced landing, he attempted to land the aircraft on a field, but it impacted terrain about 15 yards short of the intended landing site. The aircraft sustained substantial damage to the fuselage. The pilot added that, after visiting the hospital, he went back to look at the aircraft and did not see any fuel in the fuel tank. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the aircraft that would have precluded normal operation.
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
- Miscellaneous/other during prior to flight
- Fuel exhaustion during maneuvering
- Loss of engine power (total) during maneuvering defining event
- Attempted remediation/recovery during maneuvering
- Off-field or emergency landing during landing
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware › Fluids › Fuel › Fluid level
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Planning/preparation › Fuel planning › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, sport pilot
- Ratings: instructor: sport pilot
- Flight time: 533 hours in all; 420 in this make and model; 30 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 475 as pilot in command; 318 on instruments
- Last flight review: March 16, 2018
- Medical certificate: Sport Pilot
- Seat: frt
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 818 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 21, 2018
- Maximum gross weight: 992 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rotax 912UL (piston); 818 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: KOA Kailua/Kona HI at 5:45 pm
- Destination: KOA Kailua/Kona HI
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 250° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 6,500 ft
- Temperature: 77°F (25°C), dew point 63°F (17°C)
- Altimeter: 30.05 inHg
- Observation at 7:53 pm from PHKO, 5 miles away
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.
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 GAA19CA181.