Amateur-built Sting RG accident near Rio Linda, California, June 26, 2024
On June 26, 2024 at about 4:56 pm local time, a 2004 amateur-built Sting RG, registered N912RG, was substantially damaged in an accident during approach near Rio Linda, California (Rio Linda airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion. Contributing to the accident was a fuel quantity indication that was inconsistent with the actual fuel state of the airplane, which likely led the pilot to overestimate the amount of fuel remaining onboard.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 26, 2024 · about 4:56 pm local time
- Place
- Rio Linda, California · Rio Linda · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built Sting RG, built 2004
- Registration
- N912RG · registry record · serial TLUSA 103912S
- 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 he departed for a local area flight with the fuel quantity indicator displaying about 50% (about 16 gallons) fuel remaining. After several takeoffs and landings at a nearby airport, the pilot elected to return to his home airport when the fuel quantity indicator displayed about 25% remaining. While on the final leg of the airport traffic pattern, the engine lost total power, and the pilot performed a forced landing to a field. During the landing, the airplane collided with a softball field perimeter fence before coming to rest upright. Shortly after the accident, the pilot reported that although the fuel quantity indicator displayed about 25% remaining, the airplane had run out of fuel. Postaccident examination revealed that the airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing. Examination of the engine revealed no evidence of preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures. No usable fuel was observed in the fuel sump, fuel pump, or carburetor bowls. The fuel float assembly was powered with an external battery, and the fuel sensor arm was manually actuated; however, the fuel quantity indicator did not respond. The pilot reported that the fuel quantity indicator displayed approximately 25% fuel remaining despite postaccident examination revealing no usable fuel within the fuel system. Although the extent to which impact damage or postaccident disassembly may have affected the fuel quantity sensing system could not be determined, postaccident testing revealed that the fuel quantity indicator did not respond to movement of the fuel sensor arm. Additionally, the pilot reported that due to the design of the fuel tank installation, he was unable to verify the fuel quantity by visual inspection or use of a dipstick. Nevertheless, the fuel quantity indication was inconsistent with the actual fuel state of the airplane and likely contributed to the pilot’s overestimation of the available fuel and the subsequent fuel exhaustion.
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
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing (flare/touchdown)
- Fuel exhaustion during approach defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware › Fluids › Fuel › Fluid level
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Planning/preparation › Fuel planning › Pilot
- Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Fuel system › Fuel indication system › Unknown/Not determined
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 237 hours in all; 5 in this make and model; 5 in the last 90 days; 3 in the last 30 days; 162 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: January 18, 2024
- Medical certificate: Class 3
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 410.5 hours
- Last inspection: condition inspection, April 24, 2024; 19.7 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,430 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Rotax 912 ULS (piston); 429 hours total
- Operator: Novabox LLC
The flight
- Departed from: MCC Sacramento CA at 4:15 pm
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 170° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 50°F (10°C)
- Altimeter: 29.94 inHg
- Observation at 9:15 am from KMCC, 2 miles away
Weather report (METAR): METAR KMCC 261615Z AUTO 17010KT 10SM CLR 21/10 A2994 RMK AO2 PWINO=
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
9 documents, released by the NTSB on July 2, 2026. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 11 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Memorandum for Record- Record of Conversation | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | Engine Examination | PDF, 5 pages | View Download |
| 4 | Memorandum for Record- Summary of Airframe Examination | PDF, 7 pages | View Download |
| 5 | Recovery Report | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 6 | Rotax 912 Operators Manual - Fuel Consumption | PDF, 10 pages | View Download |
| 7 | Sales Advertisement for the Accident Airplane | PDF, 3 pages | View Download |
| 8 | Investigation Photographs | PDF, 3 pages | View Download |
| 9 | Release of Aircraft Wreckage, NTSB Form 6120.15 | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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 WPR24LA218.