Amateur-built GLASAIR FT accident near Rio Linda, California, October 2, 1999
On October 2, 1999 at about 6:45 pm local time, a amateur-built GLASAIR FT, registered N711FZ, was substantially damaged in an accident near Rio Linda, California (Rio Linda Airport). 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
Fuel starvation due to the owner/builder's improper installation of the fuel selector valve, and, his failure to placard the operating positions of the valve handle.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 2, 1999 · about 6:45 pm local time
- Place
- Rio Linda, California · Rio Linda Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built GLASAIR FT
- Registration
- N711FZ · no longer on the register · serial 799
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot had recently finished building the airplane, and it had accrued 16 hours of total time. The pilot said that at one time he had the fuel selector positions placarded but the placards fell off and he never bothered to replace them. While on an extended downwind for landing, the engine stopped running and he landed short of the runway, colliding with a ditch and nosing over. The pilot stated he had just finished switching fuel tank positions when the engine quit running. The engine was successfully run three times during the postaccident investigation. The pilot later said that he thought he had not had the fuel selector properly indexed during the accident flight. Postaccident examination of the fuel selector indicated that the shaft had an improper alignment, which induced excess play in the handle.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land
- Flight time: 4,388 hours in all; 16 in this make and model; 21 in the last 90 days; 16 in the last 30 days; 4,388 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 16 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 30, 1999; 16 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,000 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-A1B6D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Q94 at 6:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 17, 2,620 ft by 42 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 5 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 52°F (11°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:53 am from SMF, 2 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.
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.