- Date
- May 27, 2000, 11:45 local (15:45 UTC)
- Place
- North Miami Bch, FL
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N2706DRawdon T1
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report May 30, 2003
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 20000527007549A
- Case key
- 49305
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 failure of the pilot to change the fuel selector position after experiencing surging of the engine. Contributing to the accident was the partial loss of engine power due to fuel starvation and the incorrect reading of the left fuel gauge.
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
During cruise flight, the engine began surging. The pilot reportedly turned on both auxiliary fuel pumps and both selector valves, dropped the banner, and made a precautionary landing in an open field. During the landing roll he maneuvered the airplane to avoid pedestrians and the left wing collided with a tree. Postaccident examination of the airplane indicated the left tank was empty and the right tank contained approximately 9 gallons; the left fuel quantity indicator was not indicating empty. Postaccident, the engine was started and operated normally; no discrepancies were noted.
Factual narrative
On May 27, 2000, about 1145 eastern daylight time, a Rawdon T1, N2706D, registered to and operated by Aerial Sign Company, Inc., experienced a loss of engine power and collided with trees during a forced landing in a state park near North Miami Beach, Florida. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and no flight plan was filed for the 14 CFR Part 91 banner towing flight. The airplane was substantially damaged and the commercial-rated pilot, the sole occupant, was not injured. The flight originated about 1015, from the North Perry Airport, Hollywood, Florida.
The pilot stated that during the flight, the engine began surging. He turned on both auxiliary fuel pumps and tanks, dropped the banner, and made a precautionary landing in an open field. During the landing roll he maneuvered the airplane to avoid pedestrians and the left wing collided with a tree damaging three ribs.
Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed approximately 9 gallons of fuel in the right fuel tank, no fuel in the left fuel tank, and both fuel tank selector valves on.
Following repairs to the left wing of the airplane (no work was performed to the engine), the engine was started and operated to full static rpm; no discrepancies were noted. Additionally, the left fuel gauge was not indicating empty with an empty fuel tank; it was indicating near midpoint of the "no takeoff" arc, which is positioned between empty and just below 1/4 indication.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N2706D
- Reported as
- Rawdon T1
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- T1-26
- Airframe hours
- 4,412
- Engine
- Lycoming O-540-A1D5, 250 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Part 91
- Registered owner
- Aerial Sign Company, Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Restricted (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · April 20, 2000 · 2 hours before
- Departed
- HWO · Hollywood, FL
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
- 67
- Certificates
- Commercial, Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land, Single-engine sea
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Center
- Flight hours
- 23,000 total · 30 in this make and model · 18,000 as pilot in command · 3 in the last 90 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 150° at 8 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 90 °F, dew point 73 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- MIA
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.
Other investigations on N2706D · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.