- Date
- January 18, 2009, 17:45 local (Jan 19, 2009, 00:45 UTC)
- Place
- Three Forks, MT
- Injuries
- 4 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N4443KRyan Navion
- Defining event
- Approach-VFR pattern final: Fuel starvation
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Dusk
- Status
- Completed · report April 15, 2009
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Western Pacific Region
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20090118000149A
- Case key
- 73251
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
A total loss of engine power due to fuel starvation as a result of the pilot's inadequate fuel system management. Contributing to the accident were the pilot's diverted attention and failure to perform the prelanding checklist.
Findings · 3
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The pilot reported that prior to departure he noted that both wing tip tanks were full of fuel and that the main tank was at least 2/3 full, giving adequate fuel for the flight. After takeoff, the pilot repositioned the fuel selector to draw fuel from the right tip tank, and later, while en route, the pilot switched the fuel selector to the left tip tank. Approaching the destination airport, the pilot became somewhat distracted while talking with a passenger. He did not follow the prelanding checklist and failed to reposition the fuel selector to the main tank, which contained adequate fuel. When the airplane was about 2.5 miles from the airport, all engine power was lost. The pilot then repositioned the fuel selector to draw fuel from the main tank; however, engine power was not restored as the airplane descended from the traffic pattern. The pilot made a forced landing on the underlying rough terrain. During roll out, the airplane collided with vegetation and a wing broke.
Factual narrative
The pilot reported that prior to departure he noted that both wing tip tanks were full of fuel and the main tank was at least 2/3 full, giving adequate fuel for the flight. After takeoff the pilot repositioned the fuel selector to draw fuel from the right tip tank, and later while en route, the pilot switched the fuel selector to the left tip tank. Approaching the destination airport, the pilot became somewhat distracted while talking with a passenger. He did not follow the prelanding checklist and failed to reposition the fuel selector to the main tank, which contained adequate fuel. When the airplane was about 2.5 miles from the airport, all engine power was lost. The pilot then repositioned the fuel selector to draw fuel from the main tank; however, engine power was not restored as the airplane descended from the traffic pattern. The pilot made a forced landing on the underlying rough terrain. During roll out, the airplane collided with vegetation and a wing broke.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N4443K
- Reported as
- Ryan Navion
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- NAV-4-1443
- Airframe hours
- 5,738
- Engine
- Cont Motor IO-470 SERIES, 260 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · March 8, 2008 · 51 hours before
- Departed
- GCC · Gillette-Campbe, WY
- Destination
- 9S5 · Three Forks, MT
- Flight plan
- VFR
- Airport
- 9S5 · Three Forks, runway 20, 5,100 × 60 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
- 74
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- April 3, 2008
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 974 total · 32 in this make and model · 937 as pilot in command · 11 in the last 90 days · 8 in the last 30 days · 5 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Dusk
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 20 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.