Amateur-built TURBO CRUISER accident near Milford, Utah, July 9, 1997
On July 9, 1997 at about 3:45 pm local time, a amateur-built TURBO CRUISER, registered N6626W, was substantially damaged in an accident near Milford, Utah (Milford Municipal 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
Loss of engine power due to fuel starvation. Factors include the pilot's fuel consumption calculations based upon insufficient or erroneous information provided by the amateur-built airplane's builder and previous owner, and terrain conditions not suitable for a successful forced landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 9, 1997 · about 3:45 pm local time
- Place
- Milford, Utah · Milford Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built TURBO CRUISER TURBO CRUI
- Registration
- N6626W · no longer on the register · serial DJ1
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that while cruising about 13,500 feet mean seal level over the Rocky Mountains, the engine abruptly stopped. The pilot switched fuel tanks and achieved a restart and then continued to his destination. Approaching the destination, the aircraft developed a moderate vibration which subsided with the reduction and re-application of throttle. The pilot executed a normal approach but was high and initiated a go-around. During the left crosswind turn, the engine abruptly quit for a second time, and the pilot executed a forced landing. During the landing roll, the aircraft's main landing gear folded and collapsed. Post-accident examination of the aircraft revealed 3.5 gallons of fuel remaining in the left wing and 1.5 gallons of fuel remaining in the right wing. The pilot stated that he had departed with full fuel tanks on this flight, which was his first long-distance flight in the experimental airplane. The aircraft's records indicated that its fuel capacity was 60 gallons, of which 56 gallons were considered usable fuel; however the actual fuel capacity and unusable fuel were not verified after the accident. The pilot stated that the aircraft did not have a flight manual, so he based his estimates of 10 gallons per hour fuel burn rate and 130 knots cruise speed at high altitude as a conservative interpretation of the information that had been given to him by the airplane's previous owner (8 to 9 gallons per hour, and 140 knots cruise speed). The pilot flight-planned for an estimated flight time of three hours, and estimated that he would have consumed about half of the fuel carried in the airplane. While en route, he determined that his true airspeed and ground speed were about 103 knots; less than what he had been told by the airplane's previous owner. Actual total flight time for the flight was four hours. No evidence of preexisting mechanical anomalies was found during the post-accident inspection of the damaged airplane.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 591 hours in all; 22 in this make and model; 23 in the last 90 days; 22 in the last 30 days; 517 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 89 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, September 9, 1996
- Maximum gross weight: 2,274 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 1V5 Boulder CO at 11:45 am
- Destination: MLF UT
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 16, 5,000 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 230° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 50 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 34°F (1°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:50 pm from CDC
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.