Hard MAXAIR DRIFTER N4255Q

Summary

On 23 September 1995 at about 23:45 local time, a Hard MAXAIR DRIFTER registered N4255Q was involved in an accident near Mexico, Missouri, United States. 2 people were on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

23 September 1995 at 23:45

Classification

Accident

Location

Mexico, Missouri, United States

Nearest airport

Mexico Memorial (H41)

Coordinates

39.1593, -91.8707

Aircraft

Hard MAXAIR DRIFTER

Registration

N4255Q

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Canton → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CHI95LA330

Nobody was injured.

fuel exhaustion as a result of excessive fuel flow, and failure of the pilot not properly monitoring fuel consumption. Rough/uneven terrain in the emergency landing area was a related factor.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE PILOT REPORTED THAT HE BASED HIS FUEL CALCULATIONS ON THE TYPICAL FUEL BURN OF 4.5 GALLONS PER HOUR. ON THE FIRST LEG OF THE FLIGHT, HIS CALCULATIONS WERE ACCURATE. HE REPORTED THAT ON THE SECOND LEG OF FLIGHT, THE ENGINE QUIT RUNNING AS A RESULT OF FUEL EXHAUSTION, LESS THAN A MILE FROM HIS DESTINATION. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE AIRPLANE WAS DAMAGED DURING AN OFF-AIRPORT LANDING. THE ENGINE WAS TESTED FOR FUEL CONSUMPTION, AND IN ONE TEST, IT HAD AN ABNORMALLY HIGH FUEL RATE OF 6.51 GALLONS PER HOUR. THE TEST ALSO REVEALED FUEL LEAKING AT THE PTO CARBURETOR FLOAT BOWL VENT. AFTER CLEANING AND INSPECTING THE NEEDLE AND SEAT, NO FURTHER ABNORMAL FUEL CONSUMPTION WAS NOTED. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT HE HAD NOT TESTED OR CALIBRATED HIS FUEL INDICATOR AND DID NOT KNOW HOW MUCH FUEL REMAINED IN THE TANK BY VISUALLY CHECKING THE FUEL INDICATOR. HE HAD DECIDED AGAINST REFUELING EN ROUTE BASED ON HIS AVERAGE FUEL BURN CALCULATIONS.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.