# NTSB MIA02LA116: Navion Nav4, N5235K, Raleigh, NC, June 21, 2002 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: June 21, 2002, 16:20 local (20:20 UTC) - Place: Raleigh, NC - Coordinates: 35.620277, -78.699996 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=35.6203&lon=-78.7000&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Approach](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/500) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report April 1, 2003 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: FAA - NTSB case key (mKey): 55020 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=MIA02LA116 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/55020/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=55020 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA02LA116 ## Probable cause the pilot's inadequate preflight planning, improper fuel consumption calculations, and selection of the auxiliary fuel tank for landing, which resulted in a loss of engine power due to fuel starvation, and forced landing in trees. A factor in this accident was the pilot's lack of total experience in type of aircraft. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of engine power(total) - nonmechanical, approach - vfr pattern - final approach - preflight planning/preparation - inadequate, pilot in command (cause) - fuel consumption calculations - inaccurate, pilot in command - fuel tank selector position - incorrect, pilot in command (cause) - fluid,fuel - starvation - Forced landing, emergency descent/landing - In flight collision with object, emergency descent/landing - object - tree(s) ## Analysis 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. ## Factual narrative 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. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N5235K](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N5235K), registered now, S/N 2135B, built 1950 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Navion Nav4 - Registry model: [Ryan NAVION B](https://openairdocs.org/model/ryan-navion-b) (registry code 6150170) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming GO-435C&D series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-go-435c-d-series) (registry code 41521, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 4-2135-B - Airframe hours: 3781 - Engines: Continental IO-520-CCBA 185 hp reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: James E. Downard - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, June 28, 2001, 47 hours before - Departed: 62OH, Bremen, OH - Destination: 5W5, Raleigh, NC - Flight plan: VFR - Airport: 5W5, Triple W, runway 16, 3,004 × 40 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 62; injuries: none; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; last flight review April 27, 2002; seat: left; flight hours: 484 total, 44 in this make and model, 369 as pilot in command, 20 in the last 90 days, 13 in the last 30 days, 3 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 70° at 12 knots, gusting 17 - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 84 °F, dew point 57 °F - Altimeter: 30.29 inHg - Observed at: KRDU, 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 20020621019829A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20020621019829A), Jun 21, 2002: Tmpson NAVIONB, Raleigh, NC, Substantial damage. (-23) Pilot was on approach for landing at Triple W Airport at fuquay-varina, NC after a cross-country flight from bremen, Ohio. Shortly after turning on final… ## Other investigations on N5235K (1) 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. - [NTSB SEA67D0218](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/SEA67D0218), Dec 24, 1966: Navion A (N5235K), Boise, ID, substantial damage ## Docket (3 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on December 4, 2002, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=55020. 561 KB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 420 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40447801&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Master.PDF - Reports from Federal Agencies (item 2, .PDF, 72 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40171768&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Reports%20from%20Federal%20Agencies-Master.PDF - Other Pertinent Forms and Reports (item 3, .PDF, 68 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40447802&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Other%20Pertinent%20Forms%20and%20Reports-Master.PDF 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.