MIA02LA116

According to the pilot, after completion of a cross-country flight of about 2 hours and 20 minutes, he began a descent and pulled the knob to start fuel transfer from the reserve (auxiliary) tank. He entered the airport pattern, flew one circuit of the pattern to check the wind sock. He turned onto the base leg, and a few seconds later turned onto final. After turning onto final the engine lost power. He immediately checked the fuel selector, added full throttle to the engine, checked the propeller control, mixture and booster pump to the high boost position. He felt he could not make it to the runway, and braced for a crash landing. The airplane struck trees and fell to the ground. An examination of the engine revealed no discrepancies. Fuel calculations revealed that fuel consumption for the length of this flight would be close to exhausting the fuel in the main tanks, and that the fuel in the main tanks was near empty when the pilot switched to the auxiliary tank. The auxiliary tank was gravity fed into the right main tank, and not to the selector valve. Upon entering a steep bank turn, from base leg to final, all the small amount of fuel went to the low side with no way to the accumulator tank from that position. In addition, the placards in the airplane were clear that an auxiliary tank is to be used in straight, level flight. The aircraft TCDS (type certificate data sheets) precludes the operation of the auxiliary tank except in "straight and level flight." It is not approved for use for take-off or landing. The pilot had a total of 484 hours in all aircraft, with a total of 44 hours in this make and model airplane. Of the 44 hours in this make and model, 25 flight hours were as pilot-in-command.

On June 21, 2002, about 1620 eastern daylight time, a Navion Nav4, N5235K, registered to and operated by an individual, impacted with trees during a forced landing while on final approach at the Triple W Airport, Raleigh, North Carolina. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and no flight plan was filed for the 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight. The airplane was substantially damaged. The private-rated pilot reported no injuries. The flight had originated from Bremen, Ohio, at 1346.

According to the pilot after completion of a cross-country flight, he began a decent about 30 miles southeast of Greensboro, North Carolina. He said he "…pulled the knob to start fuel transfer from the reserve (auxiliary) tank." He entered the airport pattern at 1,200 feet MSL and "flew one circuit of the pattern to check the wind sock." He turned onto the base leg, and "a few seconds" later turned onto final. After turning onto final he said, "almost immediately the engine lost power...[he] immediately checked the fuel selector," added full throttle to the engine, checked the propeller control, mixture and booster pump to the high boost position. He felt he could not make it to runway 16, and braced for a crash landing. The airplane struck the trees and fell to the ground. The engine remained lodged in the tree.

A mechanic (I.A.), who assisted in the engine examination, and specializes in Navion maintenance and restoration, stated in his report, that he felt the engine lost power due to fuel exhaustion as the pilot/owner stated to the I.A. that he had selected the auxiliary tank about two minutes prior to reaching the airport. In addition, the pilot told the mechanic that after the engine lost power the boost pump did not do any good. The pilot said he had flown about 2 hours and 20 minutes from Ohio to Raleigh. According to the mechanic it was his experience with Navions that fuel consumption "...would be close to exhausting the fuel in the main tanks," and that the fuel in the main tanks was "near empty" when the pilot switched to the auxiliary tank. The auxiliary tank is "gravity fed" into the right main tank, and not to the selector valve, which "...upon entering a steep bank turn, all the small amount of fuel went to the low side with no way to the accumulator tank from this position." In addition, the placards in the airplane "are clear that an auxiliary tank is to be used in straight, level flight." The aircraft TCDS (type certificate data sheets) precludes the operation of the auxiliary tank except in "straight and level flight." It is not approved for use for takeoff or landing. (See the Hough Aero Service's Report, an attachment to this report).

According to the FAA Inspector's statement, an engine inspection was conducted at Hough Aero Services, Fuquay-Varina, North Carolina, August 6, 2002, on the engine that had been installed on N5235K. External examination of the engine revealed that all engine mount legs were broken upon impact when the fuselage separated from the engine. The overall condition of the engine and propeller precluded a ground engine run, but the integrity of the crankshaft, camshaft, connecting rods, and valve train were confirmed. The exhaust system was damaged from impact. The right magneto was broken from the engine at the flange where it attached to the engine. The examination of the spark plugs, the ignition harness, magnetos, and the engine revealed no discrepancies. (See the FAA inspector's statement, an attachment to this report).

According to the pilot he had a total of 484 hours in all aircraft, with a total of 44 hours in this make and model airplane. Of the 44 hours in this make and model 25 flight hours were as pilot-in-command.