# NTSB CEN17LA236: Wells John L JR Stol CH 701, N999WX, Canon City, CO, June 18, 2017 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Minor injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: June 18, 2017, 07:15 local (13:15 UTC) - Place: Canon City, CO - Coordinates: 38.428611, -105.106941 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=38.4286&lon=-105.1069&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Initial climb](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/350) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Initial climb: Fuel starvation](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/191) - Highest injury: Minor injuries - Injuries: 1 minor - Status: Completed, report January 25, 2018 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Central Region - Parties: FAA _ Denver FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 95397 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN17LA236 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/95397/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=95397 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN17LA236 ## Probable cause Fuel starvation due to the deterioration of a fuel hose. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Fuel system: fuel distribution](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01022820): Aircraft › Aircraft systems · Damaged/degraded (probable cause); cases with it: [Wells John L JR STOL CH 701, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01022820/cases.md?model=05633QA), [All aircraft, 141 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01022820/cases.md) - [Fluids: fuel](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071010): Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware · Fluid level (probable cause); cases with it: [Wells John L JR STOL CH 701, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071010/cases.md?model=05633QA), [All aircraft, 1,695 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071010/cases.md) - [Terrain: rough terrain](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03021015): Environmental issues › Physical environment · Contributed to outcome; cases with it: [Wells John L JR STOL CH 701, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03021015/cases.md?model=05633QA), [All aircraft, 442 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03021015/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Initial climb: Fuel starvation](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/191) (defining event); cases with it: [Wells John L JR STOL CH 701, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/191/sequence.md?model=05633QA), [All aircraft, 733 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/191/sequence.md) - [Initial climb: Loss of engine power (total)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341); cases with it: [Wells John L JR STOL CH 701, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341/sequence.md?model=05633QA), [All aircraft, 3,820 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341/sequence.md) - [Emergency descent: Off-field or emergency landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440); cases with it: [Wells John L JR STOL CH 701, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440/sequence.md?model=05633QA), [All aircraft, 3,365 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440/sequence.md) - [Landing: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [Wells John L JR STOL CH 701, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md?model=05633QA), [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md) ## Analysis The commercial pilot reported that, during initial climb after takeoff, the amateur-built airplane's engine experienced a partial loss of power. As he attempted to return to the airport, the engine lost total power. He subsequently conducted a forced landing on rough terrain, during which the right wing and fuselage sustained damage. Postaccident examination of the engine revealed that the fuel hose from the left wing tank had deteriorated from the inside, which would have restricted the flow of fuel to the engine and led to fuel starvation and the subsequent loss of engine power. ## Factual narrative On June 18, 2017, about 715 mountain daylight time, an amateur-built Wells STOL CH701 airplane, N999WX, sustained substantial damage to the fuselage and firewall during a forced landing to a field near Canon City, Colorado, after the airplane's engine lost power during initial climb after takeoff from the Fremont County Airport (1V6), Canon City, Colorado. The pilot received minor injuries. The airplane was registered to and operated by the pilot under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the flight, which was not operated on a flight plan. The flight was originating from 1V6 when the accident occurred. The pilot reported that the airplane experienced a partial loss of engine power during initial climb about 6,500 feet msl. As he attempted to return to 1V6, the engine suddenly lost complete power. A forced landing was completed to rough terrain. The airplane incurred damage to the right wing and fuselage during the landing attempt. The pilot reported that after the accident he found that the fuel hose from the left fuel tank had deteriorated from the inside causing an obstruction to the normal flow of fuel. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N999WX](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N999WX-2020-10-31), registration cancelled 2020-10-31, S/N 7-6078, built 2014 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: WELLS JOHN L JR STOL CH 701 (NO SERIES) - Registry model: [Wells John L JR STOL CH 701](https://openairdocs.org/model/wells-john-l-jr-stol-ch-701) (registry code 05633QA) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Yamaha ALL MDLS A/B](https://openairdocs.org/engine/yamaha-all-mdls-a-b) (registry code 80000, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane, amateur-built - Serial number: 7-6078 - Year built: 2014 - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Flight test, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special) - Last inspection: Condition, November 21, 2016 - Departed: 1V6, Canon City, CO - Destination: 1V6, Canon City, CO - Airport: 1V6, Fremont County ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 74; injuries: minor; commercial, airline transport; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; seat: left ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 160° at 6 knots - Visibility: 9 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 4,600 ft overcast - Temperature: 59 °F, dew point 45 °F - Altimeter: 30.20 inHg - Observed at: FCS, 21 nm away ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20170618009349A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20170618009349A), Jun 18, 2017: Wells John L Jr STOL CH 701, Canon City, CO, Substantial damage. On 6/18/2017 at approximately 0715 MDT, N999WY an experimental stol CH-701 aircraft was severely damaged after an emergency landing in rough terrain due to… ## Docket (1 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on November 27, 2017, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=95397. 54 KB in all. - Record of Conversation with Pilot (item 1, .PDF, 54 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40458390&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Record%20of%20Conversation%20with%20Pilot-Master.PDF From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.