# Accident 20000709010559A: Interavia E-3, Watsonville, CA, July 9, 2000

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: July 9, 2000, 15:30 local time
- Place: Watsonville, CA
- Airport: Watsonville Municipal Airport
- Damage: No damage
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 36.9167° N, 121.8333° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=36.9167&lon=-121.8333&mi=10
- Aircraft: N4426X, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N4426X-2008-12-18) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Interavia E-3 (registry code 05603M7, https://openairdocs.org/model/interavia-e-3) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Amateur-built UNKNOWN ENG (registry code 99999, https://openairdocs.org/engine/amateur-built-unknown-eng) (OpenAirDocs)
- Fatal injuries: 0
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB LAX00LA257](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX00LA257) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20000709010559A

## Narrative

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

(-23) ON JULY 9, 2000, AT 1530 HOURS PACIFIC DAYLIGHT TIME, AN EXPERIMENTAL INTERAVIA E-3, N4426X, MADE A FORCED LANDING AFTER LOSING ENGINE POWER WHILE PRACTICING AEROBATICS NEAR WATSONVILLE, CA. THE AIRCRAFT SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE WHEN THE LANDING GEAR COLLAPSED IN SOIL DURING THE FORCED LANDING. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE WAS DOING AEROBATIC MANEUVERS AND MIGHT HAVE UNPORTED THE FUEL TANK PICKUP. HE WAS ABLE TO RESTART THE ENGINE BRIEFLY BEFORE THE ENGINE QUIT AGAIN. WHEN THE ENGINE FAILED TO RESTART A SECOND TIME, HE WAS FORCED TO MAKE A POWER-OFF, FORCED LANDING IN A PASTURE. UPON LANDING, THE GEAR COLLAPSED AND THE AIRCRAFT SKIDDED APPROXIMATELY 80 FEET ON ITS BELLY. THE CERTIFICATED PRIVATE PILOT, THE SOLE OCCUPANT, RECEIVED MINOR INJURIES.

## 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 LAX00LA257](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX00LA257), Jul 9, 2000: Interavia E-3 (N4426X), Watsonville, CA, substantial damage. Probable cause: the total loss of engine power due to the pilot's inaccurate fuel consumption calculations, which resulted in fuel exhaustion.

## Other reports on N4426X (1)

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

- [Accident 20061125025399A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20061125025399A), Nov 25, 2006: Amtr INTERAVIAE3 (N4426X), San Pedro, CA, Destroyed, 1 fatal. (-23) Witnesses had indicated that the a/c was performing aerobatic maneuvers over the water just south of the palos verdes peninsula. Reports indicated when…

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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