- Date
- September 3, 1996, 17:00 local (Sep 4, 1996, 01:00 UTC)
- Place
- Kenai, AK
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N4417PTaylorcraft F21B
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report December 15, 1997
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Alaska Regional Office
- FAA report
- 19960903029899A
- Case key
- 2897
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
the pilot's improper fuel managment, which resulted in loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
According to the pilot, he flew the airplane in a long, slow, turn around his cabin. When he rolled the wings level, the engine stopped producing power. While descending for a forced landing on a road, the airplane's main landing gear struck a power line. The power line broke, but remained attached to the landing gear. During touchdown on the road, the airplane veered off the road and nosed over. The pilot said that during the landing, the power line was dragging behind the airplane. Also, he stated that after the accident, he drained the fuel tanks and found only 2 to 3 gallons of fuel on board.
Factual narrative
On September 3, 1996, at 1700 Alaska daylight time, a wheel equipped Taylorcraft F21B airplane, N4417P, registered to and operated by the pilot, lost engine power during maneuvering flight. The pilot had to execute a forced landing to a road. The personal flight, operating under 14 CFR Part 91, departed Anchorage, Alaska, and the destination was Carty's Airstrip located in Nikiski, Alaska. No flight plan was filed and visual meteorological conditions prevailed. The certificated private pilot, the sole occupant, was not injured. The airplane was substantially damaged.
During a telephone conversation with the pilot on September 11, 1996, he stated that he was low on fuel upon arriving in the Nikiski area. He made a long slow circle around his cabin and when he rolled wings level the engine stopped producing power. He selected a road on which to land and during the descent the airplane's landing gear struck some power lines. The power lines broke and the airplane landed on the road. During the landing roll, the airplane veered off the road and nosed over. The pilot stated the power line was wrapped around the landing gear and was dragging along the ground. The pilot said he drained the fuel tanks after landing and found only 2 to 3 gallons of fuel on board.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N4417P
- Reported as
- Taylorcraft F21B
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- F1510
- Airframe hours
- 706
- Engine
- Lycoming O-235-L2C, 118 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Johnnie R. Harris
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · July 3, 1996 · 706 hours before
- Departed
- LHD · Anchorage, AK
- Destination
- 2R3 · Nikiski, AK
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 46
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 350 total · 275 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Visibility
- 99 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 63 °F
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.