Sling Aircraft (PTY) LTD SLING LSA accident near Carson, California, December 22, 2024
On December 22, 2024 at about 11:45 pm local time, a 2022 Sling Aircraft (PTY) LTD SLING LSA, registered N519CV, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute (descent) near Carson, California (Compton-Woodley airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s decision to conduct a prolonged slip against warnings specified in the Pilot’s Operating Handbook which resulted in a total loss of engine power due to fuel starvation.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 22, 2024 · about 11:45 pm local time
- Place
- Carson, California · Compton-Woodley · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Sling Aircraft (PTY) LTD SLING LSA, built 2022 · all SLING LSAs on the register
- Registration
- N519CV · registry record · serial 354
- 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 about 3,000 ft mean sea level (msl), he slipped the airplane to descend 1,100 ft to get to the traffic pattern altitude. After leveling off, he saw the fuel pressure drop. He checked to make sure that both fuel pumps were on. Shortly after, the airplane lost all fuel pressure and engine RPM. After troubleshooting, he was unable to restore engine power, and initiated a forced landing to a golf course, where the airplane impacted trees and sustained substantial damage to the fuselage, empennage, and wings. The Pilot’s Operating Handbook for the airplane, stated in part “the fuel lift pipe in the fuel tank is situated adjacent to the lower inside wall of the tank. The aircraft should at no time be subjected to a sustained side slip towards a near empty fuel tank (i.e. -right wing down) as, despite the baffling, this may have the consequence that the fuel runs towards the outer edge of the tank exposing the fuel pipe to suck air, thereby starving the engine of fuel leading to engine failure. This poses a particular threat when at low altitude, typically prior to landing.” The pilot did not initially report that there was no mechanical malfunction or failure that would have precluded normal operation; however, upon reviewing the recorded flight data with his chief flight instructor, that included the bank angle indicator, slip/skid indicator, and fuel pressure, the pilot concluded that the loss of power was likely from the left fuel lift pipe becoming exposed, starving the engine of fuel.
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
- Fuel starvation during enroute (descent) defining event
- Off-field or emergency landing during landing (flare/touchdown)
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Incorrect action performance › Pilot
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Use of equip/system › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 448.3 hours in all; 182.2 in this make and model; 176.4 in the last 90 days; 62.8 in the last 30 days; 357.2 as pilot in command; 182.2 on instruments
- Last flight review: May 5, 2024
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Passenger
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,464.9 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, December 9, 2024
- Maximum gross weight: 1,320 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rotax 912 (piston); 2,432 hours total
- Operator: Sling Flying Club
The flight
- Departed from: YOA Torrence CA at 11:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 290° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 25,000 ft; scat at 18,000 ft
- Temperature: 63°F (17°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 30.08 inHg
- Observation at 3:47 pm from KTOA, 5 miles away
Weather report (METAR): KTOA 222347Z 29005KT 10SM SCT180 BKN250 17/12 A3008
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
4 documents, released by the NTSB on April 22, 2025. 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 WPR25LA069 | PDF, 10 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Photos | PDF, 4 pages | View Download |
| 3 | Email Chief Pilot Conversation with the Pilot | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 4 | Pilot's Operating Handbook Excerpt | PDF, 1 page | 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 WPR25LA069.