# NTSB DEN08LA085: North American SNJ-5, N12KY, Wolcott, CO, May 5, 2008 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Minor injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: May 5, 2008, 10:35 local (16:35 UTC) - Place: Wolcott, CO - Coordinates: 39.826667, -106.61 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=39.8267&lon=-106.6100&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Enroute-cruise: Loss of engine power (total)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341) - Highest injury: Minor injuries - Injuries: 1 minor - Status: Completed, report July 30, 2008 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: FAA Flight Standards District Office - NTSB case key (mKey): 67948 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=DEN08LA085 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/67948/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DEN08LA085 ## Probable cause The failure of the engine driven fuel pump flange due to oil starvation, resulting in the loss of engine power due to fuel starvation. Contributing to the accident was the lack of suitable terrain for a forced landing. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Fuel system: fuel pumps](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01022822): Aircraft › Aircraft systems · Failure (probable cause); cases with it: [North American SNJ-5, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01022822/cases.md?model=6400418), [All aircraft, 71 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01022822/cases.md) - [Fluids: oil](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071020): Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware · Fluid level (probable cause); cases with it: [North American SNJ-5, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071020/cases.md?model=6400418), [All aircraft, 174 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071020/cases.md) - [Runway/land/takeoff/taxi surface](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03023000): Environmental issues › Physical environment · Not specified (probable cause); cases with it: [North American SNJ-5, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03023000/cases.md?model=6400418), [All aircraft, 253 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03023000/cases.md) - [Fluids: fuel](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071010): Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware · Fluid level (probable cause); cases with it: [North American SNJ-5, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071010/cases.md?model=6400418), [All aircraft, 1,695 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071010/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Enroute-cruise: Loss of engine power (total)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341) (defining event); cases with it: [North American SNJ-5, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341/sequence.md?model=6400418), [All aircraft, 3,820 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341/sequence.md) - [Emergency descent: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [North American SNJ-5, 4 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md?model=6400418), [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md) ## Analysis According to the pilot, he was in cruise flight at 12,500 feet mean sea level when the engine stopped running. Attempts to restart the engine were unsuccessful. The pilot performed a forced landing to rolling, uneven terrain resulting in substantial damage. Examination of the engine revealed the fuel pump drive gear was pressed into the flange and would not rotate by hand. Several of the gear teeth exhibited damage. The gear shaft exhibited rotational scoring. Half of the engine side lip of the flange was missing. The flange housing was discolored, consistent with heat due to oil starvation. Examination of the engine, fuel pump, remaining engine components, and fuel system revealed no anomalies. ## Factual narrative On May 5, 2008, at 1035 mountain daylight time, a North American SNJ-5, N12KY, piloted by a private pilot, was substantially damaged during a forced landing to a field 8 miles southeast of Wolcott, Colorado. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The personal flight was being conducted under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 without a flight plan. The private pilot sustained minor injuries. The cross-country flight departed Centennial Airport (APA), Englewood, Colorado, approximately 0955 and was en route to Wendover, Nevada. According to the pilot, he was in cruise flight at 12,500 feet mean sea level when the engine stopped running. He switched fuel tanks, enrichened the fuel mixture, tested the magnetos, and activated the wobble pump, in attempt to restart the engine. These attempts were unsuccessful. The pilot declared an emergency on 121.50 and performed a forced landing to rolling, uneven terrain. During the landing, both wings and the engine separated from the fuselage. The fuselage came to rest inverted in a shallow ravine. According to the Federal Aviation Administration inspectors who traveled to the scene, the right wing tank was "dry" and the left wing tank was three quarters full. They reported the fuel selector valve was selected for the left tank. The wings were oriented on a slope with the right wing being up slope and the left wing sitting down slope. The wreckage was recovered and relocated to a hangar in Greeley, Colorado, for further examination. The left wing fuel tank had several holes, was crushed up in several locations, and was wrinkled. The fuel strainer on the left side had bark pressed into it and was not moveable by hand. The right fuel tank was crushed up and wrinkled, and exhibited at least two holes. The fuel strainer was easy to move and manipulate. The wing skin surrounding the fuel strainer had been crushed up around it. The spark plugs, fuel pump, carburetor, and valve covers were removed. Several cylinders exhibited impact damage. Oil was present throughout the engine. The engine was suspended by the propeller and rotated. Air movement was noted (tactilely) at each spark plug hole. Valve train and engine continuity was noted by the movement of the rocker arms. Impact damage inhibited the movement of the several rocker arms. Movement of the drive at each magneto was noted. Examination of the fuel pump revealed no anomalies. The drive within the fuel pump flange did not rotate and was not straight. The flange was removed from the engine revealing that the fuel pump drive gear was pressed into the flange and would not rotate by hand. Several of the gear teeth exhibited damage and the gear shaft exhibited rotational scoring. Half of the engine side lip of the flange was missing. The flange housing was discolored and was split along the sides in two locations. Wear and rubbing was noted on the remaining portion of the lip. Galling, and rubbing were noted in the internal portion of the flange housing. According to the pilot, he had fueled the airplane the evening prior to the flight. The airplane holds 140 gallons of fuel; 70 gallons in each tank. He stated that the engine will consume approximately 35 gallons of fuel per hour. According to the recovery team, they recovered 50 gallons of fuel from the left tank. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N12KY](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N12KY), registered now, S/N 90995, built 1943 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: North American SNJ-5 - Registry model: [North American SNJ-5](https://openairdocs.org/model/north-american-snj-5) (registry code 6400418) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Pratt & Whitney R1340 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/pratt-whitney-r1340-series) (registry code 52016, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 90995 - Airframe hours: 5229.7 - Engines: Pratt & Whitney R 1340 AN1 600 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, November 1, 2007 - Departed: APA, Englewood, CO - Destination: ENV, Wendover, NV ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 48; injuries: none; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, without waivers/limitations; last flight review March 1, 2007; seat: front; flight hours: 2,731 total, 1,050 in this make and model, 21 in the last 90 days, 6 in the last 30 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: calm - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 55 °F, dew point 25 °F - Altimeter: 30.11 inHg - Observed at: EGE, 15 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 (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20080505833169A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20080505833169A), May 5, 2008: Namer SNJ5, Wolcott, CO, Substantial damage. (-23) The aircraft lost power during a flight from centennial, Colorado to reno, Nevada over the rocky mountains near Wolcott, Colorado. The pilot WA unable to… ## Other investigations on N12KY (1) 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. - [NTSB DEN07LA074](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DEN07LA074), Mar 13, 2007: North American SNJ-5 (N12KY), Pueblo, CO, minor damage. Probable cause: The pilot of the North American SNJ-5 warbird's inadequate visual lookout while taxiing, resulting in an on-ground collision with the stationary Grob motor glider. 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.