- Date
- June 10, 1994, 12:30 local (17:30 UTC)
- Place
- Circle Pines, MN
- Injuries
- 1 serious
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N123APPopehn Arthur J. Coot A
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report January 12, 1995
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19940610014919A
- Case key
- 9565
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-in-command's inattention to the fuel supply. Factors were the pilot-in-command's diverted attention, his not performing refueling, and rough/uneven terrain.
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 of the amateur built airplane stated that his attention was diverted to the oil temperature and pressure gages during the flight and he failed to monitor fuel consumption. When he realized that the fuel state was low, he attempted to return to the airport; however, the engine lost power from fuel exhaustion and he elected to conduct a forced landing off the airport. During the landing the airplane encountered unsuitable terrain.
Factual narrative
On June 10, 1994, at 1230 central daylight time, a Coot A, N123AF, registered to Arthur J. Popehn of Plymouth, Minnesota, and operated by a commercial pilot, experienced a loss of engine power. During a forced landing the airplane sustained substantial damage. The pilot received serious injuries. The personal 14 CFR Part 91 flight was operating in visual meteorological conditions. No flight plan was on file. The local flight departed at 0845.
According to the pilot, his attention was focused on the oil temperature and pressure gages on the newly overhauled engine. The engine had previous problems with oil leaks and the pilot stated he was attempting to determine the source of the leak.
The pilot stated he was 10 miles north of Anoka County Airport when he realized that the fuel quantity gage read empty. He then descended from 5,000 feet to approximately 3,000 feet mean sea level into a southwest wind. The engine started to sputter as the airplane entered a mid-field downwind for runway 17 at the Anoka County Airport.
The pilot stated that when he realized the airplane would not reach the runway, he elected to land in a pasture between a barn and a large grove of trees. He stated that during the forced landing the airplane encountered rough terrain.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N123AP
- Reported as
- Popehn Arthur J. Coot A
- Category
- Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- AP01
- Airframe hours
- 40
- Engine
- Franklin 6A-335-B, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Popehn, Arthur J.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · May 24, 1994 · 14 hours before
- Departed
- ANE · Anoka, MN
- Airport
- ANE · Anoka County Airport, runway 17, 4,856 × 100 ft, asphalt
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
- 74
- Certificates
- Commercial, Flight engineer
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine sea
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 1,994 total · 31 in this make and model · 1,693 as pilot in command · 25 in the last 90 days · 20 in the last 30 days · 5 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 230° at 10 knots
- Visibility
- 20 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- MIC, 8 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.