# Accident 19960811022179A: Amtr CH701, Sioux City, SD, August 11, 1996

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: August 11, 1996, 10:00 local time
- Place: Sioux City, SD
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Forced Landing
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 42.5291° N, 96.5001° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=42.5291&lon=-96.5001&mi=10
- Aircraft: N4053G, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N4053G-2018-03-05) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Ramesbotham Vern CH701 (registry code 05625TP, https://openairdocs.org/model/ramesbotham-vern-ch701) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Continental C85 series (registry code 17008, https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-c85-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: AMTR CH701
- Reported engine: CONT C85*
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 1,085 total, 176 in this make and model
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB CHI96LA285](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI96LA285) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19960811022179A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

AIRCRAFT RAN OUT OF FUEL ON SHORT FINAL, SWITCHED TANKS BUT NOT SOON ENOUGH, CRASHED NEAR AIRPORT. (.4)THE PILOT REPORTED THAT HE FLEW THE FLIGHT USING THE LEFT FUEL TANK.  WHEN THE FUEL LEVEL IN THE LEFT TANK GOT LOW, HE ATTEMPTED TO FEED THE ENGINE OFF THE RIGHT TANK AT WHICH TIME THE ENGINE LOST POWER.  THE PILOT WAS ON FINAL APPROACH TO LAND AT THE TIME.  THE AIRPLANE CONTACTED A POWERLINE DURING THE FORCED LANDING APPROACH TO A SOYBEAN FIELD.  THE AIRPLANE CAME TO REST IN THE FIELD.  EACH FUEL TANK HAS AN ON-OFF SELECTOR.  ACCORDING TO THE PILOT THERE IS A RETURN FUEL LINE FROM THE FUEL PUMP TO THE RIGHT TANK.  EACH TANK HOLDS SEVEN GALLONS OF FUEL.  INSPECTION REVEALED THE LEFT TANK WAS EMPTY AND THE RIGHT TANK WAS FULL AFTER THE ACCIDENT.  THE PILOT SUSPECTED THERE WAS AIR IN THE LINE FROM THE RIGHT TANK WHICH PREVENTED FUEL FLOW.(-23) PILOT NEGLECTED TO SWITCH TANKS PRIOR TO BEGINNING DESCENT. LEFT TANK WENT DRY AT APPROX. 700'AGL. PILOT SWITCHED TANKS, BUT THERE WAS NOT ENOUGH TIME/ALTITUDE FOR ENGINE TO RESTART. LANDED APPROX. 1 1/2 MILES SHORT OF RUNWAY IN A SOYBEAN FIELD AFTER HITTING ABANDONED POWER LINE AT 20' AGL.

## 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 CHI96LA285](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI96LA285), Aug 11, 1996: Ramesbotham CH701 (N4053G), N. Sioux City, SD, substantial damage. Probable cause: the pilot's delay in switching fuel tanks which resulted in fuel starvation. Factors associated with the accident were the low altitude at which the loss of engine power occurred and the powerline…

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.

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