19991023031129I

(-23) ON OCTOBER 23, 1999, AT APPROXIMATELY 17:30 EDT, A RYAN NAVION B, REGISTERED AS N62A, WHILE TURNING LEFT BASE IN THE PATTERN, WAS FORCED TO LAND IN A UNCULTIVATED FARM FIELD, APPROX. 2 MILES SOUTH EAST OF BRANDYWINE AIRPORT (KN99), EAST GOSHEN, PA. ON SITE INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE AIRCRAFT SUSTAINED SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE TO THE NOSE GEAR SUPPORT STRUCTURE, ENGINE CRADLE AND PROPELLER ASSEMBLY DUE TO FAILURE OF THE NOSE GEAR ASSEMBLY DURING THE IMPACT WITH THE UNEVEN TERRAIN. THE AIRCRAFT WAS OPERATED BY THE OWNER, A PRIVATE PILOT AND SOLE OCCUPANT. THE FLIGHT WAS CONDUCTED UNDER VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS. THE PILOT STATED THAT NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED, HOWEVER, FLIGHT FOLLOWING WAS CONDUCTED EN-ROUTE. THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED FROM TRIPLE W AIRPORT (KN5W), NORTH CAROLINA, A SMALL PRIVATE AIR STRIP NEAR RALEIGH, NORTH CAROLINA. THE PILOT WAS RETURNING TO HIS HOME BASE AT BRANDYWINE AIRPORT (NK99), EAST GOSHEN, PA. OUR INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE AIRCRAFT HAD JUST COMPLETED AN ANNUAL INSPECTION. THE OWNER HAD FUELED THE AIRCRAFT PRIOR TO PERFORMING A 40 MINUTE TEST FLIGHT. THE TOTAL AIRCRAFT FUEL CAPACITY IS 100 GALLONS, CONSISTING OF 20 GALLONS IN EACH MAIN WING TANK, TWO 20 GALLON WING TIP TANKS AND A 20 GALLON AUXILIARY TANK LOCATED IN THE AFT BAGGAGE COMPARTMENT. IN A WRITTEN STATEMENT TO THIS INSPECTOR, THE MECHANIC/IA WHO HAD PERFORMED THE ANNUAL INSPECTION, CONFIRMED THAT HE OBSERVED THE PILOT TOPPING OFF THE MAIN FUEL TANKS TO A MAXIMUM CAPACITY OF 40 GALLONS, 20 GALLONS IN EACH WING (OF WHICH ONLY 39.5 GALLONS ARE CONSIDERED USEABLE). THE MECHANIC/IA ALSO STATED THAT HE HAD OBSERVED A TOTAL OF 10 GALLONS OF FUEL BEING PLACED IN THE REAR CABIN AUXILIARY FUEL TANK. NO FUEL WAS ADDED TO THE LEFT OR RIGHT WING TIP TANKS. AT THE TIME OF THE TEST FLIGHT, THE FACTS OF THIS INVESTIGATION SUGGEST THAT ONLY 50 GALLONS OF FUEL WERE PRESENT ABOARD THE AIRCRAFT. AFTER THE TEST FLIGHT, THE MECHANIC/IA EXPRESSED HIS CONCERN TO THE PILOT/OWNER OF HIS INTENTIONS THAT HE WOULD DEPART FOR THE PHILADELPHIA AREA WITHOUT ADDING ADDITIONAL FUEL GIVEN THE FACT THAT THE AIRCRAFT HAD A CAPACITY OF 100 GALLONS AND A 40 MIN TEST FLIGHT HAD JUST BEEN COMPLETED. DESPITE THIS, THE MECHANIC/IA STATED THAT THE PILOT DEPARTED WITHOUT ADDING ADDITIONAL FUEL AFTER THE TEST FLIGHT. AVERAGE FUEL BURN ON THE LYCOMING O-435 ENGINE IS APPROX. 13.5 GAL. PER HO UR. IT IS APPROX. 300 NAUTICAL MILES, STRAIGHT LINE DISTANCE BETWEEN K5W5 AND KN99. IT IS ESTIMATED THAT THE PILOT HAD APPROX. 41 GALLON OF FUEL ON BOARD PRIOR TO DEPARTING FOR BRANDYWINE AIRPORT. AT THIS CONSUMPTION RATE IT WOULD TAKE APPROX. 33.75 GALS OF FUEL TO COMPLETE THE TRIP, LEAVING ONLY 6.5 GALS OF FUEL REMAINING AT THE DESTINATION. THIS RESERVE WAS EVEN FURTHER REDUCED BY THE PILOT'S INTENTIONAL COMMITMENT TO NAVIGATE USING ONLY AIRPORTS FOR GPS WAY POINTS ALONG THE ROUTE OF FLIGHT AS OPPOSED TO FLYING DIRECT, AS WAS DISCLOSED DURING AN INTERVIEW WITH THE PILOT. SURFACE WINDS WERE REPORTED FROM THE NNW AT APPROX. 10-12 KTS AT BOTH THE DEPARTURE AND DESTINATION AIRPORTS. THE BAGGAGE COMPARTMENT AUXILIARY TANK EMPLOYS A GRAVITY FEED SYSTEM TO REPLENISH FUEL IN THE MAIN TANK. THE RATE OF FUEL FLOW IS APPROX. 1 GALLON PER MINUTE. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE HAD SELECTED THE AUX. TANK FUEL SUPPLY LATE IN THE FLIGHT. HE WAS UNSURE AT THE TIME OF THE INTERVIEW IF THE TANK FEED WAS PLUMBED INTO THE MAIN HEADER TANK OR DIRECTLY INTO THE MAIN TANKS. THE NAVION B OPERATOR'S MANUAL "CAUTIONS" THE OPERATOR "NOT TO PERMIT FUEL LEVEL IN MAIN TANKS TO DROP BELOW 5 GALLONS BEFORE STARTING TRANSFER OF FUEL FROM THE BAGGAGE COMPARTMENT TANK." BECAUSE THERE ARE NO FUEL BAFFLES LOCATED IN THE MAIN FUEL TANKS, THIS BECOMES A CRITICAL ISSUE TO PREVENT FUEL PUMP CAVITATION AND PREMATURE LOFF OF ENGINE POWER. THE ON SITE INVESTIGATION REVEALED NO MEASURABLE PRESENCE OF FUEL IN THE MAIN FUEL TANKS OR WING TIP TANKS. THE MECHANIC/IA WHO ASSISTED IN THE INVESTIGATION, REVEALED IN A WRITTEN STATEMENT THAT 4.5 GALLONS OF FUEL WERE REMOVED FROM THE AIRCRAFT OF WHICH 2 GALLONS WERE REMOVED FROM THE AUXILIARY TANK. THE MECHANIC/IA CHECKED ALL FUEL LINES, FUEL SCREENS AND PLUGS WITH NO MECHANICAL IRREGULARITIES NOTED. THE PILOT HAD ACCUMULATED A TOTAL OF 104 HRS. OF FLIGHT TIME, 39 OF WHICH WERE IN THE RYAN NAVION B. ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ THIS REPORT HAS BEEN FORWARDED TO THE AEA-FSDO-17 OPERATIONS UNIT SUPERVISOR FOR FURTHER CONSIDERATION. THIS INVESTIGATION IS CONSIDERED CLOSED.