- Date
- November 18, 2009, 11:30 local (18:30 UTC)
- Place
- Montrose, CO
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Emergency descent
- Aircraft
- N2493TNavion Navion G
- Defining event
- Emergency descent: Fuel exhaustion
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report March 23, 2010
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Central Region
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20091118051419A
- Case key
- 75075
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 the pilot’s inadequate preflight planning.
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
Prior to departure, the pilot performed a visual inspection and estimated the airplane contained 12-14 gallons of fuel. Approximately 35 minutes after takeoff and while on final approach to land, the engine lost complete power. Unable to reach the runway, the pilot elected to land on a residential street. Shortly before touchdown, the airplane impacted a tree and subsequently the street. The airplane came to rest in an upright position approximately 180 degrees opposite the direction of travel. An examination of the airplane following the accident revealed that the airplane's non-compromised fuel tanks contained approximately one and a half quarts of aviation fuel. No other pre impact anomalies were noted that would have prevented the engine from producing power.
Factual narrative
On November 18, 2009, about 1130 mountain standard time, a Navion G airplane, N2493T, was substantially damaged during a forced landing following a complete loss of engine power while on final approach to the Montrose Regional Airport (MTJ), Montrose, Colorado. The pilot, the sole occupant, sustained minor injuries. The airplane was registered to and operated by the pilot. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed for the 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. The local flight originated from MTJ around 1040. The pilot reported that prior to departure he performed a visual inspection and estimated the airplane contained 12-14 gallons of fuel. Approximately 35 minutes after takeoff and while on final approach to land, the engine lost complete power. Unable to reach the runway, the pilot elected to land on a residential street. Shortly before touchdown, the airplane impacted a tree and subsequently the street. The airplane came to rest in an upright position approximately 180 degrees opposite the direction of travel. The airplane’s fuselage and left wing sustained structural damage. An examination of the airplane following the accident revealed that the airplane's non-compromised fuel tanks contained approximately one and a half quarts of a blue liquid consistent with 100LL aviation fuel. No other pre impact anomalies were noted that would have prevented the engine from producing power.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N2493T
- Reported as
- Navion Navion G
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- NAV-4-2493
- Airframe hours
- 1,924
- Engine
- Cont Motor IO 520 SERIES, 285 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Borgo Douglas A
- Registered owner
- Borgo Douglas A
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · September 2, 2009
- Departed
- MTJ · Montrose, CO
- Destination
- MTJ · Montrose, CO
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
- 41
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- June 30, 2009
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 672 total · 577 in this make and model · 629 as pilot in command · 9 in the last 90 days · 1 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 310° at 3 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 37 °F, dew point 27 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.11 inHg
- Observed at
- MTJ, 2 nm away
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on December 14, 2009, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 4.5 MB 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.