# Accident 20221007017339A: Kingery Michael C ZENITH CH-750, Libby, MN, October 7, 2022

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: October 7, 2022, 16:30 local time
- Place: Libby, MN
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Cruise/Level Flight
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 46.7841° N, 93.3252° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=46.7841&lon=-93.3252&mi=10
- Aircraft: N550ZF, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N550ZF-2023-09-15) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Kingery Michael C ZENITH CH-750 (registry code 05629UF, https://openairdocs.org/model/kingery-michael-c-zenith-ch-750) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Continental O-200 series (registry code 17402, https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-o-200-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: KINGERY MICHAEL C ZENITH CH-750
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Airline transport
- Pilot flight hours: 13,000 total, 6 in this make and model, 2 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB CEN23LA010](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN23LA010) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20221007017339A

## Narrative

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

2022-10-07 ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ ZENITH CH-750 LIBBY, MN. ON THE RETURN TRIP FROM AITKIN, MN (KAIT) TO MCGREGOR, MN (KHZX) THE PIC DECIDED THAT HE WOULD DO SOME SITE SEEING NEAR HIS CHILDHOOD HOME IN PALISADE, MN.  THE PIC STATED THAT AS HE WAS FLYING HE NOTICED THE LEFT FUEL TANK WAS AT AROUND 1/4 TANK AND THAT HE ESTIMATED THAT IT HAD 3 TO 4 GALLONS OF FUEL LEFT WHILE THE RIGHT TANK WAS AT OR NEAR 3/4 TANK AND THAT THERE WAS APPROXIMATELY 7 TO 8 GALLONS LEFT SO HE SWITCHED THE FUEL SELECTOR THE RIGHT TANK ONLY TO CORRECT THE IMBALANCE. THE PIC STATED THAT AS A RESULT OF THE LOCATION OF THE IPAD ON THE GLARE SHIELD HE WAS UNABLE TO GET A CLEAR VIEW OF THE RIGHT FUEL GAUGE AND FORGOT THAT HE HAD THE RIGHT FUEL TANK ONLY SELECTED, THE PIC ALSO STATED THAT HE DID NOT HAVE A CLOCK ONBOARD THE AIRCRAFT THAT MAY HAVE PROMPTED HIM TO KEEP A CLOSER EYE ON THE REMAINING FUEL IN THE RIGHT WING.

THE PIC STATED THAT HE WAS FLYING AT AROUND 300 FEET AGL DURING THE SITE SEEING WHEN THE ENGINE QUIT AND HE REALIZED THAT HE HAD FORGOT THAT HE HAD ONLY THE RIGHT TANK SELECTED, HE THEN STATED THAT HE SWITCHED THE FUEL SELECTOR TO BOTH, TURNED ON THE BOOST PUMP AND ATTEMPTED TO RESTART THE ENGINE BUT WAS UNSUCCESSFUL AND THE AIRCRAFT WAS LOSING ALTITUDE MUCH FASTER THAT HE HAD EXPECTED AND WAS UNABLE TO ATTEMPT AN ADDITIONAL RESTART. HE THEN LOOKED TO SEE IF HE COULD FIND A PLACE TO LAND BUT HIS ONLY OPTIONS WERE THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER OR A HEAVILY WOODED AREA. THE PIC DECIDED TO LAND THE AIRCRAFT IN THE WOODS.  HE FLEW THE AIRCRAFT INTO THE SMALLEST TREES HE COULD SEE, HE THEN STATED THAT HE "KICKED IT OVER" TO AVOID HITTING A VERY LARGE TREE IN HIS PATH. AFTER THE AIRCRAFT STOPPED THE PILOT ROTATED THE FUEL SELECTOR TO OFF AND EXITED THE AIRCRAFT HE THEN SHUT OFF THE ELT, THEN WALKED OUT TO THE HIGHWAY APPROXIMATIVELY 100 YARDS AWAY.  THE PILOT WAS UNINJURED AND THE AIRCRAFT RECEIVED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE.

## 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 CEN23LA010](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN23LA010), Oct 7, 2022: Zenith CH 750 (N550ZF), Libby, MN, substantial damage. Probable cause: The total loss of engine power due to the pilot’s improper fuel management, which led to fuel starvation. Contributing to the accident was the low altitude at which the loss of engine power occurred.

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.