- Date
- July 21, 2009, 15:00 local (20:00 UTC)
- Place
- Gardner, KS
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N192CStinson 108
- Defining event
- Initial climb: Fuel starvation
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report September 30, 2009
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Central Region
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20090721011569A
- Case key
- 74395
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 failure to ensure that the fuel selector valve was set properly in its detent prior to takeoff, resulting in fuel starvation.
Findings · 2
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
According to the pilot, the airplane lost engine power shortly after takeoff at a height of approximately 300 feet above the ground. He attempted a forced landing on a mowed, grassy section of airport property. During the landing, the left main gear sank into the muddy turf and separated from the airplane. The airplane skidded for approximately 180-feet resulting in damage to the left wing tip, propeller, right landing gear, and lower longeron on the right side of the fuselage. The pilot sustained minor injuries. He reported that shortly before takeoff, he switched the fuel selector valve to the fullest tank, but that the fuel selector handle did not set properly in its detent, cutting off the flow of fuel to the engine.
Factual narrative
According to the pilot, the airplane lost engine power shortly after take off at a height of approximately 300 feet above the ground. He attempted a forced landing on a mowed, grassy section of airport property. During the landing, the left main gear sank into the muddy turf and separated from the airplane. The airplane skidded for approximately 180-feet resulting in damage to the left wing tip, propeller, right landing gear, and lower longeron on the right side of the fuselage. The pilot sustained minor injuries. He reported that shortly before takeoff, he switched the fuel selector valve to the fullest tank, but that the fuel selector handle did not set properly in its detent, cutting off the flow of fuel to the engine.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N192C
- Reported as
- Stinson 108 (2)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 108-3192
- Airframe hours
- 3,492
- Engine
- Franklin 6A4165B3, 165 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Utility
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · August 9, 2008
- Departed
- K34 · Gardner, KS
- Destination
- K34 · Gardner, KS
- Airport
- K34 · Gardner Municipal, runway 26, grass/turf
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
- 72
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- August 12, 2008
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 1,504 total · 1,363 in this make and model · 1,504 as pilot in command · 6 in the last 90 days · 5 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 340° at 12 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 3,500 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 73 °F, dew point 63 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.95 inHg
- Observed at
- IXD, 3 nm away
Docket · 1
The files NTSB released with the investigation on August 10, 2009, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 950 KB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.