# NTSB NYC00LA137: Anderson MA-18, N218MA, Pittsburgh, PA, May 17, 2000 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: May 17, 2000, 11:58 local (15:58 UTC) - Place: Pittsburgh, PA - Coordinates: 40.399845, -80.010452 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=40.3998&lon=-80.0105&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report March 2, 2001 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 49218 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=NYC00LA137 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/49218/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC00LA137 ## Probable cause The pilot's improper fuel management which resulted in the loss of power, and his improper flare during the forced landing, which resulted in a hard landing. Factors included a restricted fuel supply due to a design flaw in the header tank/fuel valve/supply line combination, and the pilot's lack of experience in airplane make and model. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of engine power(total) - nonmechanical, cruise - fuel management - improper, pilot in command (cause) - fuel supply - restricted (contributing factor) - acft/equip,inadequate design, owner/builder (contributing factor) - Forced landing, descent - emergency - Hard landing, emergency descent/landing - flare - improper, pilot in command (cause) - lack of total experience in type of aircraft, pilot in command (contributing factor) ## Analysis The pilot was attempting to ferry the airplane for friends, who had just purchased it. During the preflight, he checked the fuel, and drained the gascolater for water, but found none. He performed engine checks, and taxi-tested the airplane on the runway several times. He then took off and flew around the airport, then headed toward his destination. Fifteen minutes into the flight, with fuel coming from the left tank, the engine quit. The pilot switched to the right tank, and nothing happened. He pumped the throttle, and the engine ran for about 10 seconds and quit again. He confirmed that the fuel selector was in the detent, then applied carburetor heat. The engine started momentarily, then quit once more, and the pilot performed a forced landing to a grassy field. Upon touchdown, the left main landing gear collapsed, and the airplane nosed over. During post-accident examination, less than 1 gallon of fuel could be drained from the left fuel tank, and the fuel could not be turned off until all fuel was gone from the left tank. An FAA inspector subsequently ran the engine with fuel supplied from the right tank. He also noted that only one header tank was installed, the fuel valve was close to the floor, and the fuel lines were small. The pilot had less than 1 hour of flight time in make and model ## Factual narrative On May 17, 2000, at 1158 Eastern Daylight Time, a homebuilt MA-18, N218MA, was substantially damaged during a forced landing, following an engine failure, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The certificated private pilot was not injured, and visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. No flight plan had been filed for the flight, from a private airstrip in Ellwood City, Pennsylvania, to Finleyville Airpark (G05), Finleyville, Pennsylvania. The ferry flight was conducted under 14 CFR Part 91. According to Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspectors, the airplane did not have a current annual inspection, but was operating under a Special Flight Permit for the flight. The pilot stated that he was ferrying the airplane for some friends, who had just purchased it. He "did a thorough preflight, checked [the] fuel, controls, engine oil, and drained [the] gascolater for water, [but] found none." He then "taxi-tested [the] aircraft up and down the runway several times. Checked mags, carb heat, etc. Took off and flew around the airport, everything checked o.k." The pilot then turned the airplane toward the destination airport, and 15 minutes into the flight, the engine quit. The pilot was utilizing fuel from the left tank at the time. He switched to the right tank, and nothing initially happened. He pumped the throttle, and the engine "fired up, ran for about 10 seconds and quit again." The pilot confirmed that the fuel selector was in the detent, then applied carburetor heat. The engine "started momentarily," then quit for the last time. The pilot performed a forced landing to a grass-covered field, but during the landing, the left main landing gear axle broke, the airplane went over onto its nose, then onto its right wing. The pilot reported he had 1 hour of flight time in make and model. One of the FAA inspectors reported that during post-accident examination, less than 1 gallon of fuel could be drained from the left fuel tank. The inspector also observed that "the fuel could not be turned off until all fuel was gone from the left tank." The inspector subsequently ran the engine with fuel supplied from the right tank, but also noted that "only one header tank was installed, the fuel valve was close to the floor, and the fuel lines were small." ## Aircraft - Registration: [N218MA](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N218MA), registered now, S/N 2 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Anderson Aircraft Corp. MA-18 - Registry model: [Anderson Merle M.A. 18](https://openairdocs.org/model/anderson-merle-m-a-18) (registry code 0561281) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming 0-235 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-235-series) (registry code 41505, 4 cycle) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane, amateur-built - Serial number: 2 - Airframe hours: 500 - Engines: Lycoming O-235 115 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Ferry, Part 91 - Operator: Stephen Waltrowski - Registered owner: Leonard M Patterson - Departed: NONE, ELLWOOD CITY, PA - Destination: G05, FINLEYVILLE, PA ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 54; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land, single-engine sea; medical: class 2, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; seat: front; flight hours: 950 total, 1 in this make and model, 850 as pilot in command, 20 in the last 90 days, 10 in the last 30 days, 2 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 160° at 8 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 72 °F, dew point 50 °F - Altimeter: 30.00 inHg - Observed at: PIT, 15 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 20000517043609A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20000517043609A), May 17, 2000: Amtr MA18, Mt. Lebanon, PA, Substantial damage. (-23) On may 17, 2000, at 1158 eastern daylight time, a homebuilt MA-18, N218MA, was substantially damaged during a forced landing following an engine failure… 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.