- Date
- August 25, 2009, 09:25 local (13:25 UTC)
- Place
- Eau Claire, MI
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N2418TNavion Navion G
- Defining event
- Maneuvering: Fuel starvation
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report December 15, 2009
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Central Region
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20090825025439A
- Case key
- 74653
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
A loss of engine power due to fuel starvation as a result of the pilot's inadequate fuel management.
Findings · 4
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
The pilot departed the airport and the fuel selector was in the main fuel tank position. The main fuel tank contained 32.5 gallons of fuel. Approximately 5 minutes after departure, the pilot turned the fuel selector to the right tip fuel tank. After 15 minutes, the engine lost power. The pilot attempted to switch fuel tanks and restart the engine, but the attempt was unsuccessful. The pilot then elected to execute a forced landing to a field. During the forced landing, the airplane impacted terrain and the firewall buckled. According to the Federal Aviation Administration inspector, the right tip fuel tank showed "trace amounts of fuel", and the pilot stated he did not check the fuel tank levels prior to departure. The pilot stated to the FAA inspector, "Had I had another 5 gallons [of fuel] in the tip, I would have been okay." Examination of the airplane's fuel system revealed no mechanical anomalies.
Factual narrative
The pilot departed the airport and the fuel selector was in the main fuel tank position. The main fuel tank contained 32.5 gallons of fuel. Approximately 5 minutes after departure, the pilot turned the fuel selector to the right tip fuel tank. After 15 minutes, the engine lost power. The pilot attempted to switch fuel tanks and restart the engine; however, the attempt was unsuccessful. The pilot then elected to execute a forced landing to a field. During the forced landing, the airplane impacted terrain and the firewall buckled. According to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector, the right tip fuel tank showed "trace amounts of fuel", and the pilot stated he did not check the fuel tank levels prior to departure. The pilot stated to the FAA inspector, "Had I had another 5 gallons [of fuel] in the tip, I would have been okay." Examination of the airplane's fuel system revealed no mechanical anomalies.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N2418T
- Reported as
- Navion Navion G
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- NAV-4-2418
- Airframe hours
- 2,717
- Engine
- Cont Motor IO-470 SERIES, 260 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Regal David N
- Registered owner
- Regal David N
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · May 6, 2009
- Departed
- C20 · Berrien Springs, MI
- Destination
- C20 · Berrien Springs, MI
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
- 71
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- February 29, 2008
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 950 total · 400 in this make and model · 950 as pilot in command · 2 in the last 90 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on September 24, 2009, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 516 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.