What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On July 26, 2024, at approximately 1422 eastern standard time (EST), a 1966 Aero Commander model 200, sustained major damage while attempting an emergency landing due to a loss of engine power. The accident occurred .5 miles southwest of the Valdosta Regional Airport (kvld). There were two persons on board who sustained minor injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed. This was a personal flight being conducted under the provisions of title 14 code of federal regulations part 91.
Analysis:
On July 26, 2024, a flight instructor was providing an initial familiarization check ride to a fellow commercial pilot at the Valdosta Regional Airport (kvld). As the crew was preparing to takeoff on rwy 36, the right main fuel tank was selected as the primary tank to feed fuel to the aircraft engine. When the rm tank was selected the fuel indictor displayed 18 gallons of fuel. As the aircraft took off and began its initial climb the crew suddenly experienced a total loss of power to the engine. As a result of the decreased altitude the decision was made to immediately make an emergency landing. The lack of airspeed and altitude prevented the aircrew from being able to make it back to the airport and resulted in a forced landing in a nearby field, resulting in substantial damage. An examination of the aircraft fuel system revealed that at some undetermined time, an insect dirt dauber nest formed in the right main fuel tank vent line. This caused a blockage of the fuel vent system and prevented air to flow freely in and out of the fuel tank. The lack of proper venting caused the fuel tank to crush like a tin can and forced the fuel sending unit arm into a position that caused the right main fuel tank indicator to read full. This false reading prevented the aircrew from properly managing the amount of fuel that was contained in the tank. This eventually caused the quantity to be depleted to a level that eventually prevented fuel from being supplied to the aircraft engine.
As the FAA filed it
ON JULY 26, 2024, AT APPROXIMATELY 1422 EASTERN STANDARD TIME (EST), A 1966 AERO COMMANDER MODEL 200, SUSTAINED MAJOR DAMAGE WHILE ATTEMPTING AN EMERGENCY LANDING DUE TO A LOSS OF ENGINE POWER. THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED .5 MILES SOUTHWEST OF THE VALDOSTA REGIONAL AIRPORT (KVLD). THERE WERE TWO PERSONS ON BOARD WHO SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED, AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. THIS WAS A PERSONAL FLIGHT BEING CONDUCTED UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF TITLE 14 CODE OF FEDERAL REGULATIONS PART 91.
ANALYSIS:
ON JULY 26, 2024, A FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR WAS PROVIDING AN INITIAL FAMILIARIZATION CHECK RIDE TO A FELLOW COMMERCIAL PILOT AT THE VALDOSTA REGIONAL AIRPORT (KVLD). AS THE CREW WAS PREPARING TO TAKEOFF ON RWY 36, THE RIGHT MAIN FUEL TANK WAS SELECTED AS THE PRIMARY TANK TO FEED FUEL TO THE AIRCRAFT ENGINE. WHEN THE RM TANK WAS SELECTED THE FUEL INDICTOR DISPLAYED 18 GALLONS OF FUEL. AS THE AIRCRAFT TOOK OFF AND BEGAN ITS INITIAL CLIMB THE CREW SUDDENLY EXPERIENCED A TOTAL LOSS OF POWER TO THE ENGINE. AS A RESULT OF THE DECREASED ALTITUDE THE DECISION WAS MADE TO IMMEDIATELY MAKE AN EMERGENCY LANDING. THE LACK OF AIRSPEED AND ALTITUDE PREVENTED THE AIRCREW FROM BEING ABLE TO MAKE IT BACK TO THE AIRPORT AND RESULTED IN A FORCED LANDING IN A NEARBY FIELD, RESULTING IN SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. AN EXAMINATION OF THE AIRCRAFT FUEL SYSTEM REVEALED THAT AT SOME UNDETERMINED TIME, AN INSECT DIRT DAUBER NEST FORMED IN THE RIGHT MAIN FUEL TANK VENT LINE. THIS CAUSED A BLOCKAGE OF THE FUEL VENT SYSTEM AND PREVENTED AIR TO FLOW FREELY IN AND OUT OF THE FUEL TANK. THE LACK OF PROPER VENTING CAUSED THE FUEL TANK TO CRUSH LIKE A TIN CAN AND FORCED THE FUEL SENDING UNIT ARM INTO A POSITION THAT CAUSED THE RIGHT MAIN FUEL TANK INDICATOR TO READ FULL. THIS FALSE READING PREVENTED THE AIRCREW FROM PROPERLY MANAGING THE AMOUNT OF FUEL THAT WAS CONTAINED IN THE TANK. THIS EVENTUALLY CAUSED THE QUANTITY TO BE DEPLETED TO A LEVEL THAT EVENTUALLY PREVENTED FUEL FROM BEING SUPPLIED TO THE AIRCRAFT ENGINE.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.