Amateur-built AVID FLYER HEAVY accident near Truckee, California, July 26, 1992
On July 26, 1992 at about 8:15 pm local time, a amateur-built AVID FLYER HEAVY, registered N771AF, was destroyed in an accident near Truckee, California. 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 AIRCRAFT BUILDER LOCATING THE FUEL FILTER IN AN IMPROPER LOCATION DURING THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE AIRPLANE'S FUEL SYSTEM.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 26, 1992 · about 8:15 pm local time
- Place
- Truckee, California
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built AVID FLYER HEAVY AVID FLYER
- Registration
- N771AF · no longer on the register · serial 771
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING THE TURN FROM BASE TO FINAL ON A VFR APPROACH, THE AIRPLANE'S ENGINE HAD A TOTAL LOSS OF POWER. THE PILOT PERFORMED A FORCED LANDING TO A ROAD. DURING LANDING ROLL, ONE WING COLLIDED WITH A BUSH AND THE AIRPLANE NOSED OVER. THE AIRPLANE HAD BEEN FLOWN 8 TOTAL HOURS SINCE BEING BUILT. EXAMINATION OF THE AIRPLANE AFTER THE ACCIDENT REVEALED A PARTIALLY BLOCKED FUEL FILTER WHICH WAS LOCATED BETWEEN THE MAIN (WING) TANKS AND A HEADER TANK. THE FUEL FROM THE MAIN TANKS TO THE HEADER TANK WAS GRAVITY FED AND REQUIRED ABOUT 1 POUND PER SQUARE INCH TO ENSURE A CONSTANT SUPPLY OF FUEL IN THE HEADER TANK. THE PARTIALLY BLOCKED FILTER WAS 'UP-STREAM' OF THE FUEL BOOST PUMP LOCATED IN THE HEADER TANK. ACCORDING TO THE OWNER/MANUFACTURER OF THE AIRPLANE, THE PARTIALLY BLOCKED FILTER REDUCED THE FUEL FLOW BELOW THAT REQUIRED TO ADEQUATELY SUPPLY FUEL TO THE HEADER TANK. THE OWNER ALSO STATED THAT HE SHOULD NOT HAVE PLACED THE FILTER IN THIS LOCATION.
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: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 1,000 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 8 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded, January 2, 2000
- Maximum gross weight: 1,150 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rotax 582UL (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: TRK at 7:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 90°F (32°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.