# NTSB IAD96LA086: Champion 7FC, N456JE, Stevensville, MD, May 25, 1996 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Minor injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: May 25, 1996, 15:30 local (19:30 UTC) - Place: Stevensville, MD - Coordinates: 38.98954, -76.300926 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=38.9895&lon=-76.3009&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Initial climb](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/350) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: Minor injuries - Injuries: 1 minor - Status: Completed, report March 31, 1998 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 28057 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=IAD96LA086 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/28057/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/IAD96LA086 ## Probable cause The pilot's misjudgment of the amount of fuel he had onboard the airplane which resulted in an engine failure due to fuel exhaustion. Contributing to the severity of the accident was the high vegetation encountered during the forced landing which resulted in the airplane's nose over. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of engine power(total) - nonmechanical, takeoff - initial climb - fluid,fuel - exhaustion (cause) - fuel supply - misjudged, pilot in command (cause) - Forced landing, emergency landing after takeoff - Nose over, landing - roll - terrain condition - high vegetation (contributing factor) ## Analysis The pilot stated that because the airplane had just had an annual he did an especially thorough preflight examination, and found no water and that he visually checked the fuel tanks. He said that he found adequate fuel. Shortly after takeoff the engine quit and the pilot made a forced landing in a field where the airplane came to rest inverted. Examination of the aircraft found the right fuel tank with less than 1/4' of fuel when measured with a dip stick, and the left fuel tank was empty with no evidence of a fuel spill at the accident site. ## Factual narrative On May 25, 1996, at about 1530 eastern daylight time, a Champion 7FC, lost engine power shortly after takeoff at the Bay Bridge Airport, near Stevensville, Maryland. The private pilot, the sole occupant, sustained minor injuries. The airplane sustained substantial damage when it nosed over during the subsequent forced landing. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, no flight plan was filed. The local pleasure flight was being conducted under 14 CFR Part 91. The pilot stated that the airplane had just came out of an annual maintenance inspection and that his plan was to fly the airplane to a private airstrip at Kentmorr Airpark (3W3) where his weekend home was located. He said that because the airplane had just had an annual he did an especially thorough preflight examination, beginning by draining gas from all four drains. He said that he found no water and that he visually checked the fuel tanks. He said that he had to get a ladder from one of the hangars so that he could see into the wing tanks. He said that he "...found adequate fuel." The pilot reported that at approximately 1530 he started the engine, taxied to the runup area, did the runup and noted no problems. He taxied to and took off from runway 29. He said that at about 350 feet above ground level (AGL) the engine "missed" and lost partial power, so he immediately turned downwind, planning to land on the same runway that he took off from. The pilot indicated that as he turned the engine went to idle. He said he immediately pulled the carburetor heat on got a normal drop in rpm and pulled it again. He said that he could not make it back to the airport and elected to land in an open field. Upon landing in the wheat field the airplane flipped over, coming to rest inverted. The pilot said he released his seatbelt and shoulder harness and egressed the airplane to safety. He said that there was a "strong odor of fuel in the air" so he got away from the airplane as soon as possible. His injuries consisted of minor cuts on both knees and his left elbow. On May 25, 1996, a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Airworthiness Inspector examined the airplane at the scene. Examination of the airplane found that there was no fuel remaining in the left fuel tank and less then 1/4 inch of fuel in the right tank when measured. In addition, the FAA Inspector noted that there was know evidence of a fuel spill at the sight. The FAA inspector stated on the FAA Accident Investigation Record that in her opinion the airplane's engine shutdown due to "fuel starvation." However, a subsequent discussion with the inspector found that "fuel exhaustion" and not fuel starvation was the reason for the engine shutdown. On May 31, 1996, the Safety Board, FAA, and a representative from Continental Engines observed the following at Alphin Aircraft, in Hagerstown, Maryland; the fuselage of the airplane with the engine still attached and the wings removed, had been placed on a flat-bed trailer. An auxiliary fuel tank was connected to the engine fuel lines and was placed on top of the cabin. The propeller was straightened and the engine was run with no other modifications. During the engine run power was increased to 1700 rpm, and the carburetor heat and magnetos were tested and found to function properly with minimal drop in rpm. The engine run lasted for approximately 20 minutes with no identifiable problems. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N456JE](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N456JE-2000-03-28), registration cancelled 2000-03-28, S/N 7FC-460 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Champion 7FC - Registry model: [Champion 7FC](https://openairdocs.org/model/champion-7fc) (registry code 21101NX) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 7FC-460 - Airframe hours: 4270 - Engines: Continental C-90-12F 90 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: Andrew E. Jackson - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, May 1, 1996, 0 hours before - Departed: W29 - Destination: 3W3, MD - Airport: W29, Bay Bridge, runway 11, 2,910 × 50 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 61; private; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; medical: class 3, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; seat: front; flight hours: 2,153 total, 100 in this make and model, 2,000 as pilot in command, 47 in the last 90 days, 21 in the last 30 days, 1 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: variable at 7 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 7,000 ft overcast - Temperature: 63 °F, dew point 43 °F - Altimeter: 30.00 inHg - Observed at: BWI, 26 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 19960525011569A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19960525011569A), May 25, 1996: Bbavia 7FC, Brookings, OR, Substantial damage. Aircraft lost partial power on takeoff and attempted to return to airport, landed short of runway. 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.