- Date
- June 17, 2007, 12:12 local (18:12 UTC)
- Place
- Crowheart, WY
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N196MBBecerra Avid Flyer Mark IV
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report August 30, 2007
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- FAA Flight Standards Field Office
- FAA report
- 20070617010279A
- Case key
- 66105
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 partial blockage of the fuel filter, causing fuel starvation. A contributing factor was the rough 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
While in normal cruise flight, the engine lost power. The pilot made a forced landing next to a dirt road in a canyon. During the landing, the landing gear folded back and buckled the fuselage. Additional tubular structure members were bent. Post-accident examination revealed that fuel flow was restricted due to a partially obstructed fuel filter.
Factual narrative
The pilot was en route from Billings, Montana, to Twin Falls, Idaho. After diverting to Columbus, Montana, and detouring to Cody, Wyoming, the pilot turned towards Dubois, Wyoming. Shortly thereafter the engine lost power. The pilot could see he had 4 gallons of fuel in the right tank and 3 gallons is the left tank. He was able to restart the engine, but it lost power again. The pilot made a forced landing next to a dirt road in a canyon. During the landing, the landing gear folded back and buckled the fuselage. Additional tubular structure members were bent.
The airplane was recovered and taken back to Twin Falls. The pilot's mechanic inspected the airplane and said that fuel flow was restricted due to a partially obstructed fuel filter.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N196MB
- Reported as
- Becerra Avid Flyer Mark IV
- Category
- Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- 1483D
- Airframe hours
- 200
- Engine
- Subaru EA81, 100 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Michael A Becerra
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection
- Condition · July 1, 2006
- Departed
- 6S3 · Columbus, MT
- Destination
- TWF · Twin Falls, ID
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
- 47
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- July 1, 2006
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 427 total · 183 in this make and model · 367 as pilot in command · 12 in the last 90 days · 9 in the last 30 days · 3 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 120° at 8 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 79 °F, dew point 48 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.01 inHg
- Observed at
- RIW, 50 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.