# NTSB CHI05CA266: Ryan Navion G, N2401T, Lake Geneva, WI, September 14, 2005 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report - Date: September 14, 2005, 18:35 local (23:35 UTC) - Place: Lake Geneva, WI - Coordinates: 42.572223, -88.367225 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=42.5722&lon=-88.3672&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Takeoff](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/300) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report December 20, 2005 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 62569 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CHI05CA266 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/62569/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI05CA266 ## Probable cause The loss of engine power due to water contamination of the fuel and the pilot's inadequate preflight. A factor was the fence. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of engine power, takeoff - aircraft preflight - inadequate, pilot in command (cause) - fluid,fuel - contamination,water (cause) - Forced landing, descent - emergency - In flight collision with object, emergency descent/landing - object - fence (contributing factor) - On ground/water encounter with terrain/water, emergency descent/landing - terrain condition - ground ## Analysis The airplane sustained substantial damage when it impacted a fence and terrain during a forced landing after a loss of power during takeoff. The pilot reported that "everything looked good" for takeoff when he departed. The airplane lifted off the runway at 80 mph. The pilot reported, ""At about 40 ft agl the engine went flat. I checked airspeed and I was at 60 mph so I put the nose down." As the airplane hit a fence at the end of the runway, the engine regained full power and the airplane crossed a street and went into a field before the pilot shut the engine off. The inspection of the airplane revealed no deficiencies that would have precluded normal engine operation. The pilot reported that the airplane had not been flown in the previous two weeks and had been parked on a slight hill that sloped down and to the right. It had rained the night before the accident flight, and the pilot found water in the wing's filler caps. As a result of the sloped hill, the airplane's wing fuel tanks were not level when he checked for water contamination during the preflight. ## Factual narrative On September 14, 2005, at 1835 central daylight time, a Ryan Navion G, N2401T, sustained substantial damage when it impacted a fence and terrain during a forced landing after a loss of power during takeoff from runway 4 (2,300 feet by 40 feet, asphalt) at Lake Geneva Aire Estates Airport (WI89), Lake Geneva, Wisconsin. The pilot was not injured. The 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight was departing with Burlington Municipal Airport (BUU), Burlington, Wisconsin, as the destination. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. No flight plan was filed. The pilot reported that he took fuel samples from four points on the belly of the airplane during the preflight and did not find any water contamination. He reported that during the taxi for takeoff, the engine almost quit so he placed the mixture to full rich and the engine ran smoothly. He reported that he completed the engine run-up and taxied into takeoff position and "everything looked good." He reported that he put in full power, held the brakes for five seconds, and then released the brakes. The airplane lifted off at 80 mph and started to climb. The pilot reported, "At about 40 ft agl the engine went flat. I checked airspeed and I was at 60 mph so I put the nose down." The airplane hit a fence at the end of the runway. The pilot reported that the engine regained full power and the airplane impacted the terrain and went across the street and into a field before he shut down the engine. The pilot exited the airplane without injury. A Federal Aviation Administration airworthiness inspector examined the airplane. The inspection of the airplane revealed no deficiencies that would have precluded normal engine operation. The pilot reported that he had not flown the airplane in the previous two weeks and that he parked the airplane on a slight hill during that time rather than in a hangar. He reported that the hill was not level and that it sloped down and to the right. He reported that as a result of the sloped hill, the airplane's wing fuel tanks were not level when he checked for water contamination during the preflight. He reported that it rained the night before the accident flight, and that he found water around the wing's filler caps. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N2401T](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N2401T), registered now, S/N NAV-4-2401, built 1962 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Ryan Navion G - Registry model: [Ryan NAVION G](https://openairdocs.org/model/ryan-navion-g) (registry code 6150178) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Continental I0-470 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-i0-470-series) (registry code 17027, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 3150 - Engines: Continental IO-470-H reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: Randel Rempert - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Departed: WI89, Lake Geneva, WI - Destination: BUU, Burlington, WI - Airport: WI89, Lake Geneva Air Estates, runway 4 ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 41; injuries: none; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 3; flight hours: 114 total, 26 in this make and model, 8 in the last 90 days, 3 in the last 30 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day ## 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 20050914024069A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20050914024069A), Sep 14, 2005: Tmpson NAVIONG, Lake Geneva, WI, Substantial damage. (-23) Navion, N2401T sustained substantial damage to its right wing and horizontal stabilizer after losing power during the initial climb-out from Lake Geneva… 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.