# NTSB LAX07LA031: Ryan Navion B, N5348K, Riverside, CA, November 12, 2006 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: November 12, 2006, 12:28 local (20:28 UTC) - Place: Riverside, CA - Coordinates: 38.039611, -121.350502 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=38.0396&lon=-121.3505&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Initial climb](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/350) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed, report December 20, 2007 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: Federal Aviation Administration, Sierra Hotel Aero, Inc. - NTSB case key (mKey): 64860 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=LAX07LA031 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/64860/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX07LA031 ## Probable cause A leak in the fuel selector valve and gascolator that resulted in fuel starvation on takeoff due to air leakage into the fuel system. A contributing factor in the accident was the inadequate annual inspection performed by other maintenance personnel. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of engine power(total) - mech failure/malf, takeoff - initial climb - fuel system,selector/valve - worn (cause) - fuel system,gascolator - leak (cause) - maintenance,annual inspection - inadequate, other maintenance personnel (contributing factor) - maintenance,service bulletin/letter - not complied with, other maintenance personnel - Forced landing, emergency landing after takeoff - On ground/water encounter with terrain/water, emergency landing after takeoff - terrain condition - open field - landing gear - collapsed ## Analysis During the takeoff climb the engine lost power and the pilot made a forced landing in an open field. About 50-100 feet agl, with no remaining runway, the engine began to run rough. Shortly thereafter the engine lost all power. The pilot stated that he had already raised the landing gear before the engine began to run rough. He lowered the landing gear and made the forced landing in the field. The landing gear was only partially extended when the airplane touched down. Post accident examination revealed that air was leaking into the fuel system through worn seals in the fuel selector valve and gascolator. The Type Certificate Holder for the airplane issued Service Bulletin (SB) 101A, which recommended inspection of the fuel selector valve for leaks that allow air intrusion. An annual inspection had taken place 4 hours prior to the accident. Inspection of the airframe logbooks revealed no record of SB 101A having been performed. ## Factual narrative On November 12, 2006, at 1228 Pacific standard time, a Ryan Navion B, N5348K, experienced a loss of engine power during the takeoff initial climb from runway 6 and made a forced landing in an open field near Flabob Airport (RIR), Riverside, California. The commercial pilot/owner operated the airplane under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91 as a personal flight. The airplane sustained structural damage to the fuselage and wings. The pilot and a private pilot passenger were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the local area flight, and no flight plan had been filed. The flight was destined for El Monte Airport (EMT), El Monte, California. The National Transportation Safety Board investigator-in-charge (IIC) interviewed the pilot. The pilot reported that the day before the accident he had flown from EMT to Corona Municipal Airport (AJO), Corona, California, and refueled the airplane. He then flew back to EMT. On the day of the accident, they had departed for EMT earlier that morning to attend an airshow at RIR. There were no problems encountered with the flight the day before or the earlier flight to RIR. The pilot reported that the run-up at RIR for the return flight to EMT was normal. About 50-100 feet above ground level (agl), with no remaining runway, the engine started to sputter. The pilot stated that he had already retracted the landing gear before the engine began to run rough. Shortly after the engine began to sputter it lost all power; the pilot placed the landing gear in the down position and noted that they were losing altitude. He chose an open field to make the emergency landing, and reported that the landing gear was only partially extended when the airplane touched down in the open field. The landing gear collapsed after touchdown, which caused damage to the wings and fuselage; the airplane came to rest upright and was lying on one of its wings. The propeller also struck the ground. A Federal Aviation Administration inspector performed a post accident examination of the airplane on December 5, 2006. The examination revealed that an excessive amount of air was leaking into the fuel system through worn seals in fuel selector valve. The investigator also observed air leaking into the fuel system through the gascolator gasket. Service Bulletin No. 101A, dated August 23, 2005, was issued by the type certificate holder, Sierra Hotel Aero, Inc., regarding the fuel system fuel selector valve, serial number NAV-4-002 thru NAV-4-2561. The Service Bulletin states: "Previous design has a history of wear, causing internal leakage, valve step air ingestion and improper valve selector positioning. Internal leakage of the valve is suspected in several cases resulting in inadvertent fuel transfer between main and auxiliary tanks. Improper valve selector positioning and air ingestion has been implicated in several crashes - some fatal. The improper positioning is more likely to occur as detents in the original body wear, making positive tank selection less obvious." According to the airframe logbook, the airplane had a total time of 4,839.2 hours. An annual inspection had been completed on November 1, 2006, and the airplane had flown approximately 4 hours since the inspection. There was no indication in the logbook that the service bulletin had been performed. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION Sierra Hotel Aero, Inc., issued mandatory Service Bulletin No. 106A on May 1, 2007, which addressed an inspection of the fuel selector valve at every annual inspection unless terminating action had been accomplished through compliance of Navion Service Bulletin No. 101A. (http://www.navion.com/servicebulletins/SB%20106A.pdf) ## Aircraft - Registration: [N5348K](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N5348K-2018-03-06), registration cancelled 2018-03-06, S/N NAV-4-2248B, built 1952 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Ryan Navion B - Registry model: [Ryan NAVION B](https://openairdocs.org/model/ryan-navion-b) (registry code 6150170) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming GO-480 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-go-480-series) (registry code 41527, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: NAV-4-2248B - Airframe hours: 4839.2 - Engines: Lycoming GO-480 295 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: Gabriel A Lopez, Trustee - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal; Standard, Utility - Last inspection: Annual, November 1, 2006, 4 hours before - Departed: RIR, Riverside, CA - Destination: EMT, EL MONTE, CA - Airport: RIR, Flabob, runway 06, 3,200 × 50 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 47; injuries: minor; commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, without waivers/limitations; last flight review February 1, 2006; seat: left; flight hours: 1,726 total, 1,359 in this make and model, 1,699 as pilot in command, 18 in the last 90 days, 11 in the last 30 days, 1 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 350° at 13 knots - Visibility: 30 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 20,000 ft broken - Temperature: 70 °F, dew point 37 °F - Altimeter: 30.04 inHg - Observed at: RIV, 10 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 20061112024999A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20061112024999A), Nov 12, 2006: Tmpson NAVIONB, Riverside/Rubid, CA, Substantial damage. (-23) Due to engine failure pilot force landed in field east of the airport off runway 06. 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.