- Date
- July 30, 1993, 18:00 local (23:00 UTC)
- Place
- Ortonville, MN
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N8521EChampion 7FC
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report August 17, 1994
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19930730027189A
- Case key
- 9266
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
the pilot's failure to refuel prior to fuel exhaustion.
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
The pilot was en route to an airport to refuel, but he experienced a loss of engine power approximately two miles before reaching his destination. The pilot reported that the loss of engine power was due to fuel exhaustion. He landed on a gravel road, struck a mail box, went off the roadway, and nosed over.
Factual narrative
On July 30, 1993, about 1800 central daylight time, a Champion 7FC airplane, N8521E, sustained substantial damage during a forced landing on a gravel road near Ortonville, Minnesota. The solo commercial pilot received minor injury. The 14 CFR Part 91 flight operated without flight plan in visual meteorological conditions. The flight departed Madison, Minnesota, about 1745.
The pilot reported a loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion. He landed on a gravel road, struck a mail box, went off the roadway and nosed over.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N8521E
- Reported as
- Champion 7FC
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 337
- Airframe hours
- 5,145
- Engine
- Continental 90-12F, 90 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Leonard P. Kahl
- Registered owner
- Leonard P. Kahl
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · May 30, 1993 · 25 hours before
- Departed
- Madison, MN
- Airport
- Ortonville
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 71
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 1,900 total · 500 in this make and model · 1,900 as pilot in command · 35 in the last 90 days · 20 in the last 30 days · 10 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 150° at 10 knots
- Visibility
- 5 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 5,000 ft broken
- Temperature
- 84 °F, dew point 72 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- MVE, 30 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.