Extra Flugzeugbau FLUGZEUGBAU EA260 accident near Georgia, Vermont, June 24, 1998
On June 24, 1998 at about 8:10 pm local time, a Extra Flugzeugbau FLUGZEUGBAU EA260, registered N148GC, was destroyed in an accident near Georgia, Vermont. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's inadequate inflight decision and the loss of engine power due to a blocked vent line. A contributing factor was an unreliable fuel gauge.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 24, 1998 · about 8:10 pm local time
- Place
- Georgia, Vermont
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Extra Flugzeugbau FLUGZEUGBAU EA260 FLUGZEUGBA
- Registration
- N148GC · no longer on the register · serial 003
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
After about 40 minutes of flight the pilot stated that the engine started producing 'very limited' power. The main fuel tank gauge indicated empty and the auxiliary fuel tank gauge, taken off the left tank, showed 1/4 to 1/3 full. The pilot turned on the boost pump, which had no effect, then made a forced landing to a field. During touchdown, the left main landing gear encountered a hole and collapsed. The wing auxiliary fuel tanks feed the main tank with gravity fuel lines. The left and main fuel tanks were found empty, and the right tank had about 7 gallons in it. The gravity fuel line from the right tank was disconnected from the main fuel tank, but no fuel flowed from the line. However, when the right tank vent line was removed, fuel flowed from the gravity fuel line. When a thumb was placed over the hole where the fuel vent line had been, fuel once again stopped flowing. The pilot stated there was an inordinate amount of mud daubers in the region due to heavy spring rains. When asked why he continued to fly the airplane when the main fuel tank gauge read zero, the pilot stated that the fuel gauges were unreliable and he used timing to determine fuel consumption.
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; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 9,500 hours in all; 6 in this make and model; 35 in the last 90 days; 12 in the last 30 days; 9,460 as pilot in command; 5,500 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 400 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 5, 1998; 11 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,700 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming AE-IO-540 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: KFSO Highgate VT at 7:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 360° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 10,000 ft; clear
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 68°F (20°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:28 pm from BTV, 15 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.