- Date
- September 5, 1993, 08:45 local (15:45 UTC)
- Place
- Marble Canyon, AZ
- Injuries
- 3 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N9454GCessna TU206G
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report September 26, 1994
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19930905036459A
- Case key
- 28466
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
fuel starvation due to the pilot's inadequate preflight inspection of the aircraft and his failure to refuel the aircraft either prior to departure or enroute.
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
The pilot said that no services were obtained at Cedar City, Utah, prior to departure. The pilot said that the fuel gages indicated a total quantity of about 35 gallons on board at takeoff and he planned to fly to Flagstaff, Arizona, with a refueling stop at Page, Arizona, and a passenger drop off at Marble Canyon. Near Page, the pilot observed that the fuel gages indicated about one quarter in each tank and he elected to drop the one passenger at Marble Canyon first, then fly to Page for fuel. After landing at Marble Canyon the passenger was deplaned and the aircraft started and taxied to runway 21 for departure. The pilot reported that at about 100 feel AGL in the initial climb the engine surged then quit. The aircraft nosed over after encountering rough terrain and obstacles in the off runway forced landing. According to the aircraft retrieval firm who picked up the aircraft, the right fuel tank was 'bone dry,' and, the fuel selector was found positioned to the right tank. The left fuel tank contained an estimated 8 gallons of fuel. Fuel system continuity was established with no evidence of line or tank disruption.
Factual narrative
On September 5, 1993, at 0840 hours mountain standard time, a Cessna TU206G, N9454G, collided with the ground following a loss of power in the takeoff initial climb at Marble Canyon, Arizona. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and no flight plan was filed for the operation. The aircraft incurred substantial damage. The certificated commercial pilot and his two passengers were not injured. The flight was originating at the time of the mishap as a continuation of a personal transportation cross country flight to Flagstaff, Arizona, from Cedar City, Utah.
In his statement, the pilot said that no services were obtained at Cedar City prior to departure. The pilot said that the fuel gages indicated a total quantity of about 35 gallons on board at takeoff, and he planned to fly to Flagstaff, Arizona, with a refueling stop at Page, Arizona, and a passenger drop off at Marble Canyon. Near Page, the pilot observed that the fuel gages indicated about one quarter in each tank, and he elected to drop the one passenger at Marble Canyon first, then fly to Page for fuel.
After landing at Marble Canyon the passenger was deplaned and the aircraft started and taxied to runway 21 for departure. The pilot reported that at about 100 feel AGL in the initial climb the engine surged then quit. The aircraft nosed over after encountering rough terrain and obstacles in the off runway forced landing.
The FAA did not respond to the accident site. According to the aircraft retrieval firm who picked up the aircraft, the right fuel tank was "bone dry," and the fuel selector was found positioned to the right tank. The left fuel tank contained an estimated 8 gallons of fuel. Fuel system continuity was established with no evidence of line or tank disruption.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N9454G
- Reported as
- Cessna TU206G
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- U20601654
- Airframe hours
- 5,600
- Engine
- Continental TIO-520C, 285 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Paul M. Schafer
- Registered owner
- Northern Arizona University
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Destination
- PGA · Page, AZ
- Airport
- L41 · Marble Canyon, runway 21, 3,715 × 25 ft, asphalt
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
- 53
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 6,004 total · 436 in this make and model · 5,054 as pilot in command · 65 in the last 90 days · 16 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 20 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.