# Accident 19981003027939A: Tmpson NAVIONA, Jaffery, NH, October 3, 1998 - Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported - Date: October 3, 1998, 18:15 local time - Place: Jaffery, NH - Damage: Substantial damage - Phase of flight: Fcd/Prec Ldg From Cruise - Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91) - Aircraft: N4285K, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N4285K-2002-04-10) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry model: Ryan NAVION A (registry code 6150162, https://openairdocs.org/model/ryan-navion-a) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: Continental E185 series (registry code 17014, https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-e185-series) (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: TMPSON NAVIONA - Reported engine: CONT IO470H - People aboard: 1 - Fatal injuries: 0 - Pilot flight hours: 229 total, 47 in this make and model, 15 in the last 90 days - NTSB investigation: [NTSB IAD99LA002](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/IAD99LA002) (OpenAirDocs) - FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/) - Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19981003027939A ## Narrative As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. ACFT EXPERIENCED ENGINE PROBLEMS AT THE 3000 FOOT LEVEL AFTER TAKEOFF AND STRUCK TREES WHILE ATTEMPTING TO RETURN TO THE ARPT. ACFT CAME TO REST NOSE DOWN WITH ITS TAIL UP IN THE TREES. (.4)THE PILOT CONDUCTED A PREFLIGHT OF THE NAVION A AIRPLANE CONFIRMING 20 GALLONS OF FUEL EACH IN THE LEFT AND RIGHT MAIN TANKS, BUT DID NOT CHECK THE 20 GALLON AUXILIARY TANK. HE THEN DEPARTED MANSFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS, FLEW A MINIMUM OF 69 STATUTE MILES AND LANDED AT JAFFREY, NEW HAMPSHIRE, SUBSEQUENTLY DEPARTING WITHOUT TAKING ON FUEL AND FLYING FOR APPROXIMATELY TWO ADDITIONAL HOURS. HE LANDED AT JAFFREY AGAIN, AND WITHOUT SHUTTING THE AIRPLANE DOWN, DEPARTED BACK TO MANSFIELD. SHORTLY AFTER DEPARTING JAFFREY AND LEVELING OFF AT 3,000 FEET, THE AIRPLANE'S ENGINE LOST POWER. UNABLE TO RETURN TO HIS DEPARTURE FIELD, AND DEEMING HIS INTENDED LANDING SITE AS UNSUITABLE, HE EXECUTED A FORCED LANDING INTO TREE TOPS. A POST-CRASH EXAMINATION OF THE AIRPLANE BY AN FAA INSPECTOR REVEALED NO FUEL IN THE AIRPLANE'S FUEL TANKS, AND NO EVIDENCE OF FUEL LEAKAGE. THE PILOT STATED THAT 'DUE TO THE POWER SETTING I CHOSE TO RUN THE AIRPLANE AT, THE LENGTH OF THE FLIGHT, AND MY NEGLIGENCE TO VISUALLY CHECK AND ONLY OPERATE THE AIRCRAFT BASED ON THE FUEL GAUGE READINGS, I BELIEVE THAT IT WAS MY MISTAKE IN EXHAUSTING THE FUEL.' (-23) PILOT NEGLECTED TO PROPERLY PRE-FLIGHT THE AIRCRAFT PRIOR TO DEPARTING JAFFREY MUNICIPAL AIRPORT TO DETERMINE QUANTITY OF FUEL. APPROX 5 MINUTES AFTER DEPARTURE THE PILOT TRANSITIONED FROM CLIMB TO CRUISE FLIGHT. DURING RE-ADJUSTMENT OF POWER, THE ENGINE LOST POWER. THE PILOT TURNED BACK TO THE AIRPORT BUT DIDN'T HAVE ENOUGH ALTITUDE TO MAKE IT. THE AIRCRAFT LANDED IN THE TREES ADJACENT TO A FIELD APPROC 2 MILES SOUTH OF THE AIRPORT. THE AIRCRAFT WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED. ONLY RESIDUAL FUEL WAS FOUND IN THE TANKS AND NONE TO THE FUEL LINE LEADING TO THE FUEL INJECTION UNIT. ## 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 IAD99LA002](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/IAD99LA002), Oct 3, 1998: Navion A (N4285K), Jaffrey, NH, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's inadequate aircraft preflight and subsequent failure to refuel the aircraft resulting in fuel exhaustion. A factor was the lack of suitable terrain to execute a forced landing. ## Other reports on N4285K (1) Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date. - [Accident 19950520048749A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19950520048749A), May 20, 1995: Tmpson NAVIONA (N4285K), Raynham, MA, Substantial damage. (-16) Aircraft enroute to katama (1B2) from norwood (owd) ma, when engine began running rough. Pilot made forced landing in a field. Pilot and 3 passengers… 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.