# Accident 20180914016289A: American Aviation AA-1A, Warthen, GA, September 14, 2018

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: September 14, 2018, 10:20 local time
- Place: Warthen, GA
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Cruise/Level Flight
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 33.0864° N, 82.7511° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=33.0864&lon=-82.7511&mi=10
- Aircraft: N9218L (not matched to a registry record)
- Reported make and model: AMERICAN AVIATION AA-1A
- Reported engine: LYCOMING 0-320-E2 SERIES
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 2
- Pilot certificates: Private pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 700 total, 1 in this make and model, 5 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB ERA18TA250](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA18TA250) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20180914016289A

## Narrative

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

ON SEPTEMBER 14, 2018, ABOUT 1020 EASTERN DAYLIGHT TIME, AN AMERICAN AVIATION AA-1A, N9218L, WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED AFTER IT IMPACTED TERRAIN DURING A FORCED LANDING IN WARTHEN, GEORGIA. THE COMMERCIAL PILOT AND PASSENGER SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED, AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED FOR THE FLIGHT THAT ORIGINATED FROM THE OCONEE COUNTY REGIONAL AIRPORT (CEU), CLEMSON, SOUTH CAROLINA, AND WAS DESTINED FOR SUMMERFIELD, FLORIDA. THE PERSONAL FLIGHT WAS CONDUCTED UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF TITLE 14 CODE OF FEDERAL REGULATIONS PART 91.

THE PILOT REPORTED THAT EARLIER DURING THE DAY OF THE ACCIDENT, HE PURCHASED THE AIRPLANE IN MORRISTOWN, TENNESSEE. HE FILLED UP EACH OF THE TWO FUEL TANKS WITH 12.5 GALLONS OF FUEL AND DEPARTED FROM MOORE-MURRELL AIRPORT (MOR), MORRISTOWN, TENNESSEE AROUND 0730 DESTINED FOR SUMMERFIELD, FLORIDA. WHILE FLYING AT A CRUISE ALTITUDE OF 9,500 FT. MEAN SEA LEVEL, ABOUT 20 MINUTES AFTER TAKEOFF, HE NOTICED THE FUEL LEVEL WAS DOWN TO A ONE-FOURTH TANK OF FUEL IN EACH FUEL TANK. THE PILOT THOUGHT THE FUEL BURN WAS VERY HIGH AND DECIDED TO LAND AT THE CLOSEST AIRPORT, WHICH WAS CEU. HE FILLED UP AGAIN WITH 24 GALLONS OF FUEL AND DEPARTED ABOUT 0950. ABOUT 30 MINUTES INTO THE FLIGHT HE NOTICED THAT THE FUEL LEVEL WAS AT ONE-FOURTH TANK IN EACH WING FUEL TANK AGAIN. THE PILOT FURTHER STATED THAT HE DECIDED TO DIVERT TO THE NEAREST AIRPORT, WHICH WAS OKZ. ABOUT 15 MILES AWAY FROM THE AIRPORT, THE ENGINE LOST ALL POWER, HE SWITCHED FUEL TANKS TO THE RIGHT FUEL TANK, ACTIVATED THE ELECTRIC BOOST PUMP AND THE ENGINE RESTARTED. A FEW MINUTES LATER THE ENGINE AGAIN LOST ALL POWER AND HE NOTICED BOTH FUEL TANKS WERE EMPTY. THE PILOT LOCATED A FIELD AND SET UP FOR LANDING. DURING THE ROLLOUT IN THE FIELD, THE NOSE LANDING GEAR CONTACTED SOME SOFT DIRT AND COLLAPSED. THE AIRPLANE SLID 90° TO THE LEFT AND CAME TO REST UPRIGHT. BOTH OCCUPANTS EGRESSED THROUGH THE CANOPY.

## 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 ERA18TA250](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA18TA250), Sep 14, 2018: American AA1 (N9218L), Warthen, GA, substantial damage. Probable cause: A fuel leak from the carburetor float bowl due to a missing plug, which resulted in excessive fuel consumption and a total loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion. Contributing to the accident…

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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