- Date
- October 12, 2000, 16:45 local (23:45 UTC)
- Place
- Madera, CA
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N353Tolle Venture Model 20
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report January 2, 2002
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 20001012014749A
- Case key
- 50458
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 mechanical failure of a fuel sump tank check valve, during takeoff initial climb, that resulted in fuel starvation.
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
Seconds after the pilot took off in his experimental airplane, the engine experienced a partial loss of power. The pilot made a forced landing on a rural road and collided with a pole during rollout. An examination of the airplane revealed that a check valve in its fuel sump tank was stuck in mostly the closed position. This malfunction resulted in engine fuel starvation.
Factual narrative
On October 12, 2000, about 1645 hours Pacific daylight time, a Tolle Venture Model 20 (homebuilt) airplane, N353, owned and operated by the pilot, experienced a loss of engine power seconds after takeoff from a road near Madera, California. The pilot made a forced landing on another rural road and collided with a pole during rollout. The airplane was substantially damaged, and the private pilot received a minor injury. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed during the personal flight, and no flight plan was filed. The flight was performed under 14 CFR Part 91.
A responding sheriff's officer reported that the pilot had previously made a precautionary landing on Avenue 9 because of engine problems. The pilot believed that he had fixed the problem, and he took off. Seconds later, the engine again lost power. The officer additionally stated that the pilot landed on Avenue 10 and impacted the pole.
The pilot subsequently reported that there was adequate fuel for flight on board his airplane. The left and right wing tanks contained 10 and 8 gallons of fuel, respectively. According to the pilot's report, adequate fuel for flight was prevented from reaching the engine due to a check valve in the fuel sump tank that was found stuck in a mostly closed position.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N353
- Reported as
- Tolle Venture Model 20 (VENTURE MO)
- Category
- Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- AT-7
- Airframe hours
- 90
- Engine
- Continental IO-550-N6B, 310 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Alan E. Tolle
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · January 12, 2000 · 90 hours before
- Destination
- MAE · CA
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
- 65
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 8,700 total · 90 in this make and model · 50 in the last 90 days · 11 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 270° at 6 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 147 °F, dew point 122 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- MAE, 4 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.