What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
The aircraft was located in a partially cleared field near a. l. Mangham jr regional airport just south of run way 36 at Nacogdoches Texas.
(Accident environment) the field was estimated about 500 to 600 yards long and approximately 500 to 600 yards in width. The field was clear cut of trees with scattered stumps and debris from the clearing process.
(Aircraft landing path) the aircraft lost power and made an emergency landing. During the landing roll out the aircraft hit a small tree or stump on the right wing. The collision with the right wing caused the aircraft to veer 90 degrees. The aircraft continued along the landing path but with the left wing facing forward. Then the aircraft struck a small group of trees with the left wing first.
(Aircraft damage) the both left and right wing fuel tanks ruptured during the landing slide spilling fuel. There was no post-crash fire and the aircraft sustained significant damage to both wings.
The propeller blades had evidence of a low or no power blade damage.
The fuselage sustained damage but the severity was difficult to determine because of the trees leaning against the left side of the aircraft.
(Investigation) we began taking 360 degree pictures of the aircraft concluding with the cockpit.
In the cockpit the fuel selector was found pointed to the left tank.
The engine controls were found with the mixture control at full rich and throttle with full power.
The privacy data omittedpilot was uninjured and was present at the crash site.
He was cooperative and presented his medical and pilot certificate.
In the interview he explained he had just picked up the aircraft from an annual inspection at longview Texas. He told us the aircraft fuel tanks were full before the flight and he presented fuel receipt as proof.
(Aircraft flight) he departed longview Texas (kggg) en-route to Nacogdoches Texas (koch).
The flight was uneventful until he entered the traffic pattern at a. l. Mangham jr regional airport at Nacogdoches Texas.
He switched to the left fuel tank from the right fuel tank for landing and lost power.
The aircraft was at pattern altitude and he attempted to glide to the airport but ending up making an emergency landing in a field south of runway 36.
(Log book review)
This office reviewed the log books and found the fuel tank selector valve was removed and reinstalled during the annual inspection.
This office contacted the maintenance facility and asked for a mechanics statement regarding the fuel selector valve which the mechanic provided.
The aircraft was recovered and engine test conducted. See NTSB engine test run results CEN17LA068.
As the FAA filed it
THE AIRCRAFT WAS LOCATED IN A PARTIALLY CLEARED FIELD NEAR A. L. MANGHAM JR REGIONAL AIRPORT JUST SOUTH OF RUN WAY 36 AT NACOGDOCHES TEXAS.
(ACCIDENT ENVIRONMENT) THE FIELD WAS ESTIMATED ABOUT 500 TO 600 YARDS LONG AND APPROXIMATELY 500 TO 600 YARDS IN WIDTH. THE FIELD WAS CLEAR CUT OF TREES WITH SCATTERED STUMPS AND DEBRIS FROM THE CLEARING PROCESS.
(AIRCRAFT LANDING PATH) THE AIRCRAFT LOST POWER AND MADE AN EMERGENCY LANDING. DURING THE LANDING ROLL OUT THE AIRCRAFT HIT A SMALL TREE OR STUMP ON THE RIGHT WING. THE COLLISION WITH THE RIGHT WING CAUSED THE AIRCRAFT TO VEER 90 DEGREES. THE AIRCRAFT CONTINUED ALONG THE LANDING PATH BUT WITH THE LEFT WING FACING FORWARD. THEN THE AIRCRAFT STRUCK A SMALL GROUP OF TREES WITH THE LEFT WING FIRST.
(AIRCRAFT DAMAGE) THE BOTH LEFT AND RIGHT WING FUEL TANKS RUPTURED DURING THE LANDING SLIDE SPILLING FUEL. THERE WAS NO POST-CRASH FIRE AND THE AIRCRAFT SUSTAINED SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE TO BOTH WINGS.
THE PROPELLER BLADES HAD EVIDENCE OF A LOW OR NO POWER BLADE DAMAGE.
THE FUSELAGE SUSTAINED DAMAGE BUT THE SEVERITY WAS DIFFICULT TO DETERMINE BECAUSE OF THE TREES LEANING AGAINST THE LEFT SIDE OF THE AIRCRAFT.
(INVESTIGATION) WE BEGAN TAKING 360 DEGREE PICTURES OF THE AIRCRAFT CONCLUDING WITH THE COCKPIT.
IN THE COCKPIT THE FUEL SELECTOR WAS FOUND POINTED TO THE LEFT TANK.
THE ENGINE CONTROLS WERE FOUND WITH THE MIXTURE CONTROL AT FULL RICH AND THROTTLE WITH FULL POWER.
THE ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^PILOT WAS UNINJURED AND WAS PRESENT AT THE CRASH SITE.
HE WAS COOPERATIVE AND PRESENTED HIS MEDICAL AND PILOT CERTIFICATE.
IN THE INTERVIEW HE EXPLAINED HE HAD JUST PICKED UP THE AIRCRAFT FROM AN ANNUAL INSPECTION AT LONGVIEW TEXAS. HE TOLD US THE AIRCRAFT FUEL TANKS WERE FULL BEFORE THE FLIGHT AND HE PRESENTED FUEL RECEIPT AS PROOF.
(AIRCRAFT FLIGHT) HE DEPARTED LONGVIEW TEXAS (KGGG) EN-ROUTE TO NACOGDOCHES TEXAS (KOCH).
THE FLIGHT WAS UNEVENTFUL UNTIL HE ENTERED THE TRAFFIC PATTERN AT A. L. MANGHAM JR REGIONAL AIRPORT AT NACOGDOCHES TEXAS.
HE SWITCHED TO THE LEFT FUEL TANK FROM THE RIGHT FUEL TANK FOR LANDING AND LOST POWER.
THE AIRCRAFT WAS AT PATTERN ALTITUDE AND HE ATTEMPTED TO GLIDE TO THE AIRPORT BUT ENDING UP MAKING AN EMERGENCY LANDING IN A FIELD SOUTH OF RUNWAY 36.
(LOG BOOK REVIEW)
THIS OFFICE REVIEWED THE LOG BOOKS AND FOUND THE FUEL TANK SELECTOR VALVE WAS REMOVED AND REINSTALLED DURING THE ANNUAL INSPECTION.
THIS OFFICE CONTACTED THE MAINTENANCE FACILITY AND ASKED FOR A MECHANICS STATEMENT REGARDING THE FUEL SELECTOR VALVE WHICH THE MECHANIC PROVIDED.
THE AIRCRAFT WAS RECOVERED AND ENGINE TEST CONDUCTED. SEE NTSB ENGINE TEST RUN RESULTS CEN17LA068.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.
Other reports on N1159G · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.