- Date
- July 20, 2002, 13:30 local (18:30 UTC)
- Place
- Waupun, WI
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N34321Meyers OTW-145
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report April 18, 2003
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- FAA -- Milwaukee FSDO
- FAA report
- 20020720038059A
- Case key
- 55325
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 exhaustion as a result of the fuel pump failure. Contributing to the accident was the wheat field.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
During cruise flight, the engine suffered a complete loss of power. Manually actuating the fuel pump restored power for approximately 30 seconds. Unable to regain engine power, the pilot executed a forced landing into a wheat field. During the landing rollout the airplane nosed over. A post-accident examination revealed fuel leaking from the fuel pump air vent, as well as a hole in the fuel pump diaphragm.
Factual narrative
On July 20, 2002, at 1330 central daylight time, a Meyer OTW-145, N34321, piloted by a private pilot, was substantially damaged when it landed in a wheat field approximately 5 miles south-southwest of Waupun, Wisconsin, following a total loss of engine power. The flight, consisting of a total of 6 OTW aircraft, originated at 1200 cdt from the Poplar Grove Airport (C77), Poplar Grove, Illinois, and was destined for the Wittman Regional Airport (OSH), Oshkosh, Wisconsin. The flight was being conducted under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The pilot and pilot-rated passenger reported no injuries.
The pilot reported that while in cruise flight en route to OSH, the engine suffered a complete loss of power. The pilot stated that manually actuating the fuel pump restored power for approximately 30 seconds. Unable to regain engine power, the pilot executed a forced landing into a wheat field. However, during the landing the airplane nosed over and came to a rest inverted.
A post-accident investigation revealed no evidence of fuel in the fuel tanks. During the inspection, additional fuel introduced into the fuel tanks was noted leaking from the engine-driven fuel pump air vent. Examination of the fuel pump revealed a hole in the diaphragm.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N34321
- Reported as
- Meyers OTW-145
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 65
- Airframe hours
- 20
- Engine
- Kinner R5, 160 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · November 1, 2001 · 20 hours before
- Departed
- C77 · Belvidere, IL
- Destination
- OSH · Oshkosh, WI
- Flight plan
- Unknown
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
- 70
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Last flight review
- October 3, 2001
- Seat
- Rear
- Flight hours
- 424 total · 21 in this make and model · 18 in the last 90 days · 5 in the last 30 days · 0 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 170° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 84 °F, dew point 68 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.02 inHg
- Observed at
- UNU, 5 nm away
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on February 14, 2003, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 404 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.
Other investigations on N34321 · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.