North American NAVION A N947A
28 August 2006 · El Centro, California, United States · Minor injuries
Summary
On 28 August 2006 at about 17:06 local time, a North American NAVION A registered N947A, operated by Ryan Douthitt, was involved in an accident near El Centro, California, United States. 2 people were on board and 2 had minor injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.
The record
- Date
- at 17:06
- Classification
- Accident
- Location
- El Centro, California, United States
- Nearest airport
- Douthitt Strip Airport (23CN)
- Coordinates
- 32.7889, -115.5294
- Aircraft
- North American NAVION A
- Registration
- N947A
- Category
- Airplane
- Engines
- 1
- Operator
- Ryan Douthitt
- Operating rule
- Part 91: General Aviation
- Purpose of flight
- Personal
- Phase of flight
- Not recorded
- Route
- Douthitt Strip → Imperial County
- Aircraft damage
- Substantial
- Weather
- VMC
- Light
- Day
- NTSB number
- LAX06LA274
People
2 people had minor injuries.
| On board | Died | Serious | Minor | Uninjured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
Probable cause
The partial loss of engine power during takeoff, as a result of air being sucked into the fuel system due to a worn fuel selector valve stem and a bent detent ring.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.
Read the full NTSB narrative
The engine lost partial power on takeoff and the pilot force-landed the airplane in a field. The airplane was involved in a similar accident 2 years prior. After being rebuilt, the pilot (who was also the aviation maintenance technician who rebuilt it) was relocating the airplane to a nearby airport. Post accident examination and testing of the fuel selector showed that the detent ring was bent and the air bypassed internally between the ports. With the detent ring bent, positive engagement of the fuel selector's position was difficult to ascertain. In addition, the shaft was worn. The type certificate holder for the airplane had released two Service Bulletins to replace the aging valves. In addition, the Federal Aviation Administration issued a Special Airworthiness Information Bulletin recommending aircraft owners test the valves for internal leakage and condition, and if necessary, replace them.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.
Other North American NAVION accidents
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 Jul 2006 | North American NAVION | Sturgis, Kentucky, United States | - | Fatal | 1 |
| 19 Sep 2005 | North American NAVION A | Chowchilla, California, United States | - | Minor injuries | - |
| 13 Aug 2005 | North American NAVION A (L-17B) | Zeeland, Michigan, United States | - | Serious injuries | - |
| 25 Jun 2007 | North American NAVION | Colona, Illinois, United States | - | Fatal | 2 |
| 21 May 2005 | North American NAVION | Emmett, Idaho, United States | - | Minor injuries | - |
| 21 Sep 2007 | North American NAVION | Clayton, North Carolina, United States | - | Fatal | 1 |
Other accidents in this area
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 19 Jul 2006 | Beechcraft A36 | Bakersfield, California, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 15 Jul 2006 | Learjet 55 | Van Nuys, California, United States | Clay Lacy Aviation | No injuries | - |
| 18 Dec 2006 | Beechcraft D95A | Gilroy, California, United States | - | Fatal | 3 |
| 19 Oct 2006 | Boeing 737-790 | Los Angeles, California, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 20 Oct 2006 | Williams BOWERS FLY BABY-1A | Oakdale, California, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 22 Oct 2006 | Cessna 152 | Prunedale, California, United States | United Flight Services | Minor injuries | - |