# Accident 20200209002719A: Navion NAVION G, Fort Smith, AR, February 9, 2020

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: February 9, 2020, 15:51 local time
- Place: Fort Smith, AR
- Airport: Fort Smith Regional Airport
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Takeoff: Climb Out
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 35.3371° N, 94.3654° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=35.3371&lon=-94.3654&mi=10
- Aircraft: N1011M, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N1011M-2023-03-04) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Navion NAVION G (registry code 6150120, https://openairdocs.org/model/navion-navion-g) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Continental I0-470 series (registry code 17027, https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-i0-470-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: NAVION NAVION G
- Reported engine: CONT MOTOR I0-550-N
- People aboard: 4
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 2
- Pilot certificates: Airline transport, flight instructor
- Pilot flight hours: 3,300 total
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB CEN20LA078](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN20LA078) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20200209002719A

## Narrative

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

N1011M DEPARTED KFSM RUNWAY 7 TO THE EAST, VEERING TOWARDS THE NORTHEAST FOR APPROXIMATELY FOUR MILES TO CONDUCT FAMILIARIZATION TRAINING ON AIRCRAFT FLIGHT CHARACTERISTICS.  AIRCRAFT WAS GIVEN CLEARANCE FOR THE OPTION TO LAND ON RUNWAY 19, AT WHICH POINT THE PILOT CONDUCTED A NORMAL LANDING WITH UNEVENTFUL TOUCH AND GO. THE AIRCRAFT GENERATED FULL POWER ON ROLL OUT WITH A LEFT ASCENDING TURN.  THE AIRCRAFT THEN ENTERED LEFT DOWNWIND AT PATTERN ALTITUDE OF 1500 FEET.  THE PILOT PROVIDED INSTRUCTION AND DEMONSTRATED PROCEDURES TO OPERATE THE FUEL SELECTOR VALVE TO SELECT WING TIP TANKS DURING LEVEL FLIGHT, AND WAS COMPLETED WITHOUT INCIDENT.  THE SELECTOR VALVE WAS THEN POSITIONED TO THE MAIN TANKS PRIOR TO ENTERING LEFT BASE, AGAIN WITHOUT INCIDENT.  THE AIRCRAFT THEN ENTERED LEFT BASE ONTO RUNWAY 19 WITH OPTION TO LAND AT WHICH POINT A SECOND TOUCH AND GO WAS CARRIED OUT WITH NORMAL CLIMB OUT, GENERATING NORMAL POWER.  AIRCRAFT AGAIN ENTERED INTO LEFT DOWNWIND PATTERN FOR WHAT WAS TO BE A THIRD AND FINAL TOUCH AND GO.  THE PILOT CONDUCTED A NORMAL LANDING WITH TOUCH AND GO AND FULL POWER WAS APPLIED WITH NORMAL PERFORMANCE.  AT APPROXIMATELY 300 FEET AS THE AIRCRAFT ENTERED A LEFT DOWNWIND PATTERN, THE PLANE?S ENGINE FALTERED AND THE PILOT PUSHED THE NOSE TO LEVEL FLIGHT AT WHICH POINT THE ENGINE RETURNED TO NORMAL.  THE AIRCRAFT THEN CONTINUED IN A CLIMB WITH A LEFT TURN, AT WHICH POINT THE AIRCRAFT ENCOUNTERED A COMPLETE LOSS OF ENGINE POWER. THE PILOT TURNED ON THE BOOST PUMP, THE ENGINE RESTARTED, AND THEN LOST POWER WITHIN APPROXIMATELY 3 SECONDS. THE PILOT NOTIFIED TOWER OF ENGINE POWER LOSS, DETERMINED THAT HE WOULD BE UNABLE TO LAND ON THE RUNWAY, AND SUBSEQUENTLY LANDED THE AIRCRAFT ON AN AREA OF GRASS NORTHEAST OF RUNWAY 1, SKIDDING APPROXIMATELY 160 FEET.  AIRCRAFT SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE AS EVIDENCED BY IMPACTS ON BOTH WING TIP TANKS AND UNDERSIDE OF FUSELAGE, COLLAPSE AND LOSS OF ALL LANDING GEAR, AND ENGINE MOUNTS BEING DISLODGED FROM ATTACHMENT POINTS THROUGH THE FIREWALL. PILOT SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES TO THE BROW AND FOREHEAD; PASSENGER ONE IN CO-PILOT SEAT SUSTAINED MINOR BRUISING TO KNEE, ELBOW, AND RIBS; PASSENGER TWO IN RIGHT REAR SEAT SUSTAINED MINOR CONTUSIONS TO LEG; PASSENGER THREE IN LEFT REAR SEAT SUSTAINED COMPRESSION FRACTURE TO LOWER VERTEBRAE.

## 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 CEN20LA078](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN20LA078), Feb 9, 2020: Navion Navion (N1011M), Fort Smith, AR, substantial damage. Probable cause: The inadequate inspection of the fuel selector valve, which was degraded, allowed fuel to leak, and resulted in fuel starvation and a loss of engine power.

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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