What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On April 16, 2021, at approximately 2030 eastern standard time, a Cessna CE-A185F aircraft, N19D, landed on a golf course immediately after departing the North Vernon Airport (kovo), North Vernon, Indiana. The commercial pilot, the sole occupant, was not injured and the aircraft suffered substantial damage. The aircraft was registered to privacy data omitted and operated under the provisions of title 14 code of federal regulations part 91. Twilight visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the flight, with no flight plan filed.
The aircraft privacy data omittedpilot had installed the interior after assisting with maintenance. During a post-maintenance engine run, without the aircraft having been returned to service, the pilot elected to fly the aircraft around the pattern. Shortly after takeoff the engine quit and the pilot landed on an adjacent golf course, coming to rest in a stand of pine trees. Subsequent investigation revealed that the pilot had incorrectly installed the fuel selector handle and took off with the selector pointing to 'both' (as required by the before takeoff checklist), when in actuality fuel was only being drawn from the left tank. Fuel starvation may have occurred as a result of the improper installation of the fuel selector handle.
As the FAA filed it
ON APRIL 16, 2021, AT APPROXIMATELY 2030 EASTERN STANDARD TIME, A CESSNA CE-A185F AIRCRAFT, N19D, LANDED ON A GOLF COURSE IMMEDIATELY AFTER DEPARTING THE NORTH VERNON AIRPORT (KOVO), NORTH VERNON, INDIANA. THE COMMERCIAL PILOT, THE SOLE OCCUPANT, WAS NOT INJURED AND THE AIRCRAFT SUFFERED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. THE AIRCRAFT WAS REGISTERED TO ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ AND OPERATED UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF TITLE 14 CODE OF FEDERAL REGULATIONS PART 91. TWILIGHT VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED FOR THE FLIGHT, WITH NO FLIGHT PLAN FILED.
THE AIRCRAFT ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^PILOT HAD INSTALLED THE INTERIOR AFTER ASSISTING WITH MAINTENANCE. DURING A POST-MAINTENANCE ENGINE RUN, WITHOUT THE AIRCRAFT HAVING BEEN RETURNED TO SERVICE, THE PILOT ELECTED TO FLY THE AIRCRAFT AROUND THE PATTERN. SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF THE ENGINE QUIT AND THE PILOT LANDED ON AN ADJACENT GOLF COURSE, COMING TO REST IN A STAND OF PINE TREES. SUBSEQUENT INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE PILOT HAD INCORRECTLY INSTALLED THE FUEL SELECTOR HANDLE AND TOOK OFF WITH THE SELECTOR POINTING TO 'BOTH' (AS REQUIRED BY THE BEFORE TAKEOFF CHECKLIST), WHEN IN ACTUALITY FUEL WAS ONLY BEING DRAWN FROM THE LEFT TANK. FUEL STARVATION MAY HAVE OCCURRED AS A RESULT OF THE IMPROPER INSTALLATION OF THE FUEL SELECTOR HANDLE.
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 N19D · 2
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.