Fuel Starvation Crash: Aventura II Engine Failure Analysis

The fuel-starvation crash of an experimental Aventura II highlights the risks involved in test flights. At DeLand Municipal Airport in Florida (KDED), the pilot and an avionics specialist were testing the aircraft after an avionics issue. Shortly after takeoff from Runway 30, about 300 feet above ground level, the engine lost partial power and would not regain power despite full power and both fuel pumps being activated. The aircraft impacted trees and came to rest nose-down in a residential area about a mile west of the airport, leaving both occupants seriously injured. Built in 2021 to demonstrate Aero Adventure kits, the airplane was undergoing avionics upgrades for sale at the time.

A post-crash inspection documented extensive damage to the fuselage and wings, with flight controls confirmed and the empennage partially crushed. The fuel system included a 23-gallon tank, two electric pumps in parallel, and a filler hose; investigators found a vacuum leak caused by a loose intake hose and a cracked attach point. Debris was present in the tank, which was about half full, and there was no sump method to check contaminants. Power was applied to pumps to test them, but the vacuum leak prevented fuel flow from the tank. The analysis highlights fuel-system integrity issues in a kit-built aeroplane undergoing upgrades.