19970813034319I

Incident

FAA incident report · Amtrdf Kitfox · Minneapolis, MN · August 13, 1997

Date: August 13, 1997 · 10:30 local
Place: Minneapolis, MN
Airport: Anoka County-Blaine Airport
Phase of flight: Fcd/Prec Ldg From Cruise
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Aircraft: N223DL
Reported as: Amtrdf Kitfox
Reported engine: ROTAX ROTAX912
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 600 total45 in this make and model15 in the last 90 days

N223DLRegistration cancelled Nov 1, 2025 · Laurence Donald F KITFOX IIIS/N 1169 · Built 1996 Airframe modelLaurence Donald F KITFOX III Engine modelBombardier ROTAX (ALL)Reciprocating

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.

Narrative: pilot reported engine sputtered and quit on approach to Anoka, MN airport. Tried restarting with no effect. Made deadstick landing in open field north of the airport. By the time inspectors arrived, pilot had moved aircraft and pulled fuel bowls. 10 gal. Of 100 oct. L.l. were on the aircraft, but right wing fuel tank cap was missing. Suspect negative pressure on open fuel filler caused fuel starvation to engine. Engine started and ran normally on ground. Airman did not properly secure fuel filler cap which is also a fuel tank vent, improper orientation caused fuel to siphon from the tank, airman counseled. No damage.

As the FAA filed it

NARRATIVE: PILOT REPORTED ENGINE SPUTTERED AND QUIT ON APPROACH TO ANOKA, MN AIRPORT. TRIED RESTARTING WITH NO EFFECT. MADE DEADSTICK LANDING IN OPEN FIELD NORTH OF THE AIRPORT. BY THE TIME INSPECTORS ARRIVED, PILOT HAD MOVED AIRCRAFT AND PULLED FUEL BOWLS. 10 GAL. OF 100 OCT. L.L. WERE ON THE AIRCRAFT, BUT RIGHT WING FUEL TANK CAP WAS MISSING. SUSPECT NEGATIVE PRESSURE ON OPEN FUEL FILLER CAUSED FUEL STARVATION TO ENGINE. ENGINE STARTED AND RAN NORMALLY ON GROUND. AIRMAN DID NOT PROPERLY SECURE FUEL FILLER CAP WHICH IS ALSO A FUEL TANK VENT, IMPROPER ORIENTATION CAUSED FUEL TO SIPHON FROM THE TANK, AIRMAN COUNSELED. NO DAMAGE.