# Accident 19960725019789A: Amtr AIRMASTER, Katy, TX, July 25, 1996 - Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported - Date: July 25, 1996, 09:30 local time - Place: Katy, TX - Damage: Destroyed - Phase of flight: Fcd/Prec Ldg From Cruise - Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91) - Location: 29.7509° N, 95.7398° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=29.7509&lon=-95.7398&mi=10 - Aircraft: N222Y, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N222Y-2013-08-21) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry model: Kraft M D AIR MASTER (registry code 056202G, https://openairdocs.org/model/kraft-m-d-air-master) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: Lycoming 0-320 series (registry code 41508, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: AMTR AIRMASTER - Reported engine: LYC O320E2D - People aboard: 2 - Fatal injuries: 2 - Pilot certificates: Student - Pilot flight hours: 150 total, 86 in this make and model - NTSB investigation: [NTSB FTW96LA316](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW96LA316) (OpenAirDocs) - FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/) - Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19960725019789A ## Narrative As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. AIRCRAFT STRUCK POWER LINES AND CRASHED. (.4)ACCORDING TO AN FAA INSPECTOR, WITNESSES REPORTED THE AIRPLANE WAS EXPERIENCING 'ENGINE PROBLEMS.' DURING AN EMERGENCY LANDING, THE AIRPLANE STRUCK POWER LINES AND A FENCE. THE FUEL SYSTEM OF THE ACCIDENT AIRPLANE WAS CONFIGURED SO THAT THE ENGINE FED ONLY FROM THE CENTER FUEL TANK. THE RIGHT AND LEFT WING FUEL TANKS STORE FUEL UNTIL THE PILOT TRANSFERS IT INTO THE CENTER TANK. BOTH THE RIGHT AND LEFT FUEL TANKS HAVE A TRANSFER PUMP. TO TRANSFER FUEL, THE PILOT TURNS ON THE TRANSFER PUMP, AND OPENS THE FUEL VALVE TO ALLOW FUEL TO FLOW FROM THE LEFT OR/AND RIGHT TANK TO THE CENTER TANK. ONCE THE FUEL IS IN THE CENTER TANK, THE VALVE IS CLOSED AND THE PUMPS TURNED OFF. IF THE VALVE IS LEFT OPENED, THE PUMPS MUST BE LEFT RUNNING TO PREVENT THE FUEL FROM DRAINING BACK INTO THE WING TANKS. DURING AN ON-SCENE INVESTIGATION, THE SWITCHES FOR BOTH OF THE TRANSFER PUMPS WERE FOUND IN THE 'ON' POSITION; HOWEVER, THE FUEL VALVE WAS FOUND IN THE CLOSED POSITION. THE FUEL QUANTITY GAUGES INDICATED THE CENTER TANK WAS EMPTY, THE LEFT WING TANK WAS 3/4 FULL, AND THE RIGHT WING TANK WAS 1/2 FULL. (-23) ON JULY 25, 1996, AT 09:30 CDT, A KRAFT AIRMASTER HOME BUILT AIRPLANE, N222Y OWNED AND OPERATED BY A PRIVATE PILOT WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED NEAR KATY, TX. THE PRIVATE PILOT AND PASSENGER WERE FATALLY INJURED. THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED FROM THE WEST HOUSTON AIRPORT APPROXIMATELY 45 MINUTES PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT. WITNESSES REPORTED THE AIRPLANE WAS EXPERIENCING "ENGINE PROBLEMS." DURING AN EMERGENCY LANDING, THE AIRPLANE STRUCK POWER LINES AND CAME TO REST IN A DITCH. INVESTIGATION AT THE SCENE INDICATEDS THAT THE FUEL SELECTOR VALVE WAS IN THE OFF POSIITION, ISOLATING THE CENTER TANK FROM THE REST OF THE FUEL SUPPLY IN THE WINGS. ENGINE IS SUPPLIED FUEL FROM THE CENTER TANK, THE CENTER TANK IS SUPPLIED BY TRANSFER PUMPS IN EACH WING TANK THROUGH A SHUT OFF VALVE. UPON DEPLETION OF FUEL IN THE CENTER TANK THE ENGINE QUIT. ALL THREE FUEL TANKS OF THE AIRCRAFT WERE DESTROYED IN THE ACCIDENT AND THERE IS NO WAY OF TELLING IF OR HOW MUCH FUEL WAS ON BOARD, EXCEPT THAT THE FUEL QUANTITY GAUGES INDICATED THAT LEFT TANK AT 1/2, THE RIGHT TANK AT 3/4 AND THE CENTER AT EMPTY. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT SAID THAT THERE WAS A STRONG SMELL OF FUEL WHEN THEY ARRIVED. ## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1) From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. - [NTSB FTW96LA316](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW96LA316), Jul 25, 1996: Kraft AIR Master (N222Y), Katy, TX, destroyed, 2 fatal. Probable cause: the pilot's improper positioning of the fuel tank selector, which resulted in fuel starvation, loss of engine power, and a forced landing. The lack of suitable terrain for a forced landing was a… From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.