# NTSB CEN23LA153: Ryan Navion A, N4229K, New Waverly, TX, April 12, 2023 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Minor injuries · Class 3 · Limited · Final report - Date: April 11, 2023, 21:13 local (Apr 12, 2023, 02:13 UTC) - Place: New Waverly, TX - Coordinates: 30.560531, -95.429906 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=30.5605&lon=-95.4299&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Enroute: Fuel contamination](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/193) - Highest injury: Minor injuries - Injuries: 1 minor - Status: Completed - Report: Approved by Office Director - Investigation class: Class 3 - NTSB office: Central Region - Parties: FAA - NTSB case key (mKey): 107047 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN23LA153 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/107047/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=107047 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN23LA153 ## Probable cause A total loss of engine power as a result of fuel contamination. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Fluids: fuel](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071010): Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware · Fluid condition (probable cause); cases with it: [Ryan NAVION A, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071010/cases.md?model=6150162), [All aircraft, 1,695 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071010/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Enroute: Fuel contamination](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/193) (defining event); cases with it: [Ryan NAVION A, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/193/sequence.md?model=6150162), [All aircraft, 225 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/193/sequence.md) - [Enroute: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [Ryan NAVION A, 3 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md?model=6150162), [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md) ## Analysis The pilot reported that, after a night cross-country flight, he overflew his private airport to see if the solar lights were working. Unable to see the lights, he began a climb and initiated a left turn towards an alternate airport. He stated that while in the turn, “the engine started to cut out,” and he initiated the emergency procedures checklist. Unable to restore the engine power, he initiated a forced landing. The airplane impacted several trees during the approach before impacting the ground, which resulted in substantial damage to the fuselage, empennage, and both wings. During a postaccident examination, sediment was found in fuel that was drained from the fuel tanks and the fuel manifold distributor. The amount of sediment in the distributor likely reduced the fuel flow to the engine, which resulted in a total loss of engine power. ## Factual narrative On April 11, 2023, about 2113 central daylight time, a Ryan Navion A airplane, N4229K, sustained substantial damage when it was involved in an accident near New Waverly, Texas. The pilot sustained minor injuries. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. The pilot reported that, after a night cross-country flight, he overflew his private airport at 1,500 ft above mean sea level (msl) to see if the solar lights were working. Unable to see the lights, he climbed to 2,000 ft msl and turned left towards Conroe. He stated that while in the turn, “the engine started to cut out,” and he initiated the emergency procedures checklist. Unable to get the engine power restored, he initiated a forced landing. He lowered the landing gear at 500 ft msl and turned on the landing lights, but at 400 ft msl, a tree appeared in front of his right wing. The airplane impacted several trees before impacting the ground, which resulted in substantial damage to the fuselage, empennage, and both wings. The pilot stated that on the flight before the accident leg, the airplane had about 89.5 gallons of fuel distributed between a main tank (39.5 gallons), tip tanks (40 gallons), and an auxiliary baggage compartment tank (10 gallons). At the conclusion of that flight, about 45 gallons of fuel remained. He stated that before the accident flight, he added 52 additional gallons, which brought the total fuel on board to about 100 gallons. When the airplane was recovered from the wreckage location, the fuel tanks were drained and a small fuel sample was captured in a clear glass jar. After allowing time for any particulates to settle, it was discovered that a dark green sediment was present in the fuel sample. During a postaccident examination, a material consistent with the sediment from the jar was located in the fuel manifold distributor. No other preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures were noted that would have precluded normal operation. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N4229K](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N4229K), registered now, S/N NAV-4-1229 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: RYAN NAVION A - Registry model: [Ryan NAVION A](https://openairdocs.org/model/ryan-navion-a) (registry code 6150162) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Continental E185 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-e185-series) (registry code 17014, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: NAV-4-1229 - Year built: 1948 - Engines: Continental TSIO-550B 350 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: Lead and Brass Racing LLC - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Departed: 4A6, Scottsboro, AL - Destination: KCXO, Conroe, TX - Flight plan: VFR - Airport: XS09, Estates Airpark - Equipment: Auto-pilot ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 60; injuries: minor; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, with waivers/limitations; last flight review October 26, 2022; seat: left; flight hours: 1,385 total, 80 in this make and model, 1,307 as pilot in command, 19 in the last 30 days, 7 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Night - Wind: calm - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 61 °F, dew point 55 °F - Altimeter: 30.14 inHg - Observed at: KCXO, 12 nm away - METAR: KCXO 120153Z 00000KT 10SM CLR 16/13 A3014 RMK AO2 SLP204 T01560128 ## 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 20230411003549A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20230411003549A), Apr 11, 2023: Ryan NAVION A, New Waverly, TX, Destroyed. Aircraft, with one person onboard, departed culpeper regional airport (cjr) elkwood, VA, enroute to estates airpark airport (XS09), New Waverly, TX, with a… ## Docket (4 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on September 27, 2023, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=107047. 5.4 MB in all. - Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 11 pages, 2.4 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=15910837&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=6120_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Examination summary (item 2, PDF, 10 pages, 1.7 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=15910533&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Exam%20Summary-Rel.pdf - Photos (item 3, PDF, 3 pages, 778 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=15910523&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Photo%20Array-Rel.pdf - Aircraft history (item 4, PDF, 1 page, 474 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=15932166&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Aircraft%20History_Redacted-Rel.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.