- Date
- March 8, 1997, 17:30 local (Mar 9, 1997, 01:30 UTC)
- Place
- Marina, CA
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N4969KRyan Navion
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report October 14, 1997
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19970309002649A
- Case key
- 29735
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 exhaustion due to the pilot's improper preflight inspection and his inaccurate fuel consumption calculations.
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 took off and the airplane gained about 800 feet when suddenly all engine power was lost. The pilot attempted to return to the runway, but collided with the airport's boundary fence short of the field. According to the pilot, six new cylinders had been recently installed in the engine, and the purpose of the flight was to complete the break-in process. The pilot reported that he believed 8 to 10 gallons of fuel should have been in the main fuel tank at takeoff, but evidently the fuel burn-off rate was greater than he had previously calculated. The FAA coordinator reported that he examined the airplane and drained all the fuel which remained in the tanks. A maximum of 0.5 gallon of fuel was found in each wing tip fuel tank. Also, about 3.0 gallons of fuel were found in the rear seat auxiliary tank, and 1.5 gallons were found in the main tank. The estimated unusable fuel quantity in the main tank is 3.0 gallons. The pilot indicated when engine power was lost the fuel tank selector was positioned to the main fuel tank.
Factual narrative
On March 8, 1997, at 1730 hours Pacific standard time, a Ryan Navion, N4969K, owned and operated by the pilot, experienced a total loss of engine power at 800 feet above ground level during the initial climb from runway 29 at the Marina Municipal Airport, Marina, California. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the personal flight. The pilot reported that he attempted to return to the runway and during the approach, the airplane collided with the airport's perimeter fence and was substantially damaged. The private pilot was not injured. The flight originated from Marina at 1728.
According to the pilot, six new cylinders had been recently installed in the engine, and the purpose of the flight was to complete the break-in process. The pilot indicated the fuel burn-off rate was apparently greater than he had previously calculated. The pilot believed that 8 to 10 gallons of fuel should have been in the main fuel tank at takeoff.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) coordinator reported that he examined the airplane and drained all the fuel which remained in the tanks. The FAA reported finding approximately 0.5 gallon of fuel in the left tip tank, and less than 0.5 gallon in the right tip tank. Also, about 3.0 gallons of fuel were found in the rear seat auxiliary tank, and 1.5 gallons were found in the main tank. The estimated unusable fuel quantity in the main tank is 3.0 gallons.
The FAA coordinator additionally reported that the pilot indicated when engine power was lost, the fuel tank selector was positioned to the main fuel tank.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N4969K
- Reported as
- Ryan Navion
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- NAV-4-1969
- Airframe hours
- 4,081
- Engine
- Continental IO-520-BB, 285 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Ronald W. French
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · August 4, 1997 · 2 hours before
- Departed
- OAR
- Destination
- RHV · San Jose, CA
- Airport
- OAR · Marina Municipal, runway 29, 2,999 × 75 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
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 1,443 total · 956 in this make and model · 1,280 as pilot in command · 11 in the last 90 days · 4 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 200° at 13 knots
- Visibility
- 30 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 64 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.