# Accident 20201105015819A: Ryan NAVION A, Fremont, MI, November 5, 2020 - Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported - Date: November 5, 2020, 14:30 local time - Place: Fremont, MI - Damage: Substantial damage - Phase of flight: Takeoff: Climb Out - Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91) - Location: 43.4353° N, 85.9958° W: From the FAA - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=43.4353&lon=-85.9958&mi=10 - Aircraft: N4856K, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N4856K) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry model: Ryan NAVION A (registry code 6150162, https://openairdocs.org/model/ryan-navion-a) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: Continental E225 series (registry code 17015, https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-e225-series) (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: RYAN NAVION A - Reported engine: CONT MOTOR E225 SERIES - People aboard: 2 - Fatal injuries: 0 - Other injuries: 1 - Pilot certificates: Private pilot - Pilot flight hours: 330 total, 20 in this make and model, 12 in the last 90 days - NTSB investigation: [NTSB CEN21LA046](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN21LA046) (OpenAirDocs) - FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/) - Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20201105015819A ## Narrative As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. ON NOVEMBER 5, 2020 AT APPROXIMATELY 2:30 PM EASTERN STANDARD TIME (EST), N4856K, A RYAN NAVION A AIRCRAFT, REGISTERED TO AND OPERATED BY A PRIVATE PILOT, RECEIVED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE DURING AN EMERGENCY LANDING AFTER LOSS OF ENGINE POWER FOLLOWING TAKEOFF ON RUNWAY 27 AT THE FREMONT MUNICIPAL AIRPORT (FFX) IN FREMONT, MICHIGAN. THE PERSONAL FLIGHT WAS BEING CONDUCTED UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF TITLE 14 CODE OF FEDERAL REGULATIONS (CFR) PART 91 WITHOUT A FLIGHT PLAN. THE PILOT WAS UNINJURED WHILE THE SOLE PASSENGER RECEIVED MINOR BUMPS NOT REQUIRING TREATMENT. THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED FROM THE FREMONT MUNICIPAL AIRPORT. ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, HE HAD CONDUCTED HIS PREFLIGHT CHECKS USING HIS CHECKLIST AND DEPARTED RUNWAY 28. THE INITIAL CLIMB SEEMED NORMAL AND HE RETRACTED THE LANDING GEAR. APPROXIMATELY 100 FEET ABOVE GROUND LEVEL (AGL), THE ENGINE ABRUPTLY LOST POWER. WITHOUT TIME AND ALTITUDE TO CONSIDER TROUBLESHOOTING THE FAILURE, THE PILOT ELECTED TO PERFORM AN EMERGENCY LANDING ON THE AIRPORT PROPERTY DUE TO RUNWAY REMAINING AND AN OPEN FIELD IN THE WESTERLY DIRECTION OF DEPARTURE. THE PILOT LOWERED THE LANDING GEAR AND PREPARED FOR THE EMERGENCY LANDING BUT BECAME MISALIGNED WITH THE RUNWAY ON A HEADING OF APPROXIMATELY 300 DEGREES AND CONTINUED THE OFF-RUNWAY LANDING. THE PILOT FAILED TO MAINTAIN AIRSPEED CONTROL DURING THE FINAL PORTION OF THE LANDING, RESULTING IN A STALL HIGHER THAN NORMAL LANDING FLARE HEIGHT AND A RESULTANT HARD LANDING. THE RIGHT MAIN GEAR AND SPAR BROKE AND PUSHED UP THROUGH THE TOP SURFACE OF THE WING AND THE LEFT WING SPAR BROKE AT APPROXIMATELY THE 3/4 POINT WITH THE REMAINING 1/4 WING ANGLED DOWNWARD AT A 45 DEGREE ANGLE. THE NOSE GEAR SHEARED OFF AND THE PROPELLER BEARS SIGNS OF A PROP STRIKE UNDER POSSIBLE PARTIAL POWER. THE AIRCRAFT CAME TO REST APPROXIMATELY 150 FEET NORTH OF RUNWAY 28 AND 220 FEET WEST OF RUNWAY 01. MARKINGS IN THE SOD SURFACE SHOW THE AIRCRAFT TRAVELLED APPROXIMATELY 100 FEET AFTER INITIAL IMPACT. POST-ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION REVEALED THE FUEL SELECTOR ON THE RIGHT TIP TANK. OPERATING LIMITATIONS, INCLUDING COCKPIT PLACARDS, INDICATE ?TIP TANKS TO BE USED IN LEVEL FLIGHT ONLY.? THE PILOT ADMITTED HE HAD INADVERTENTLY TAKEN OFF ON THE RIGHT TIP TANK. THE INVESTIGATION FOUND A VISIBLE BUT LOW FUEL LEVEL IN THE RIGHT TIP TANK. IT IS LIKELY THAT, IN THE CLIMBING ATTITUDE, THE FUEL MAY HAVE POOLED AT THE REAR OF THE TANK, STARVING THE ENGINE OF CONSISTENT FUEL FLOW. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS AND LIGHT WINDS PREVAILED AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. THE WEATHER REPORT AT FREMONT MUNICIPAL AIRPORT (FFX) IN FREMONT, MICHIGAN AT 1935Z WAS: WIND 220 DEGREES AT 9 GUSTING TO 15 KNOTS, VISIBILITY 10 STATUTE MILES, SKIES CLEAR, TEMPERATURE 16, DEW POINT 08, AND ALTIMETER 3008. ## 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 CEN21LA046](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN21LA046), Nov 5, 2020: Navion A (N4856K), Fremont, MI, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot’s improper positioning of the fuel selector during takeoff, which was not in accordance with the preflight checklist and resulted in fuel starvation, a subsequent total loss of engine… 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. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.