19970425006589A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Cessna 140 · Clearwater, FL · April 25, 1997

Date: April 25, 1997 · 11:00 local
Place: Clearwater, FL
Airport: Clearwater Air Park Airport
Phase of flight: Forced/Precautionary Landing
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N2351V
NTSB investigation: NTSBATL97LA062
Reported as: Cessna 140
Reported engine: Continental C90*
Fatal injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 518 total400 in this make and model

N2351VRegistration cancelled Oct 16, 2012 · Cessna 140S/N 14587 · Built 1948 Airframe modelCessna 140 Engine modelContinental C90 seriesReciprocating

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry 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.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

Practicing touch and go landings, bounced hard, go around, engine sputtered, attempted to return, crashed. (.4)the pilot reported that he had completed a touch and go landing and was climbing through 400 feet when he experienced a loss of engine power. The pilot initiated a left turn, and elected to return to the airport for an emergency landing. The airplane collided with the ground between the two parrellel taxiways. Examination of the aircraft disclosed that there was no fuel in the left main fuel tank. A substantial amount of fuel was recovered from the right main fuel tank. During the initial examination of the cockpit area, the fuel selector was on the left tank. Examination of the airframe failed to disclose a mechanical problem. (-23) see narrative #ATL97LA062

As the FAA filed it

PRACTICING TOUCH AND GO LANDINGS, BOUNCED HARD, GO AROUND, ENGINE SPUTTERED, ATTEMPTED TO RETURN, CRASHED. (.4)THE PILOT REPORTED THAT HE HAD COMPLETED A TOUCH AND GO LANDING AND WAS CLIMBING THROUGH 400 FEET WHEN HE EXPERIENCED A LOSS OF ENGINE POWER. THE PILOT INITIATED A LEFT TURN, AND ELECTED TO RETURN TO THE AIRPORT FOR AN EMERGENCY LANDING. THE AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH THE GROUND BETWEEN THE TWO PARRELLEL TAXIWAYS. EXAMINATION OF THE AIRCRAFT DISCLOSED THAT THERE WAS NO FUEL IN THE LEFT MAIN FUEL TANK. A SUBSTANTIAL AMOUNT OF FUEL WAS RECOVERED FROM THE RIGHT MAIN FUEL TANK. DURING THE INITIAL EXAMINATION OF THE COCKPIT AREA, THE FUEL SELECTOR WAS ON THE LEFT TANK. EXAMINATION OF THE AIRFRAME FAILED TO DISCLOSE A MECHANICAL PROBLEM. (-23) SEE NARRATIVE #ATL97LA062

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB ATL97LA062Accident · Minor injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportClearwater, FLThe pilot's failure to select the fuller tank for takeoff that resulted in fuel starvation to the engine, and the subsequent total loss of engine power.Apr 25, 1997 · Substantial damage