Aeronca 7AC N2659E

Summary

On 10 February 2011 at about 21:52 local time, a Aeronca 7AC registered N2659E was involved in an accident near Novato, California, United States. One person was 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

10 February 2011 at 21:52

Classification

Accident

Location

Novato, California, United States

Nearest airport

Gnoss Field (DVO)

Coordinates

38.1436, -122.5561

Aircraft

Aeronca 7AC

Registration

N2659E

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Novato → Novato

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

WPR11LA131

Nobody was injured.

The pilot's use of a non-vented fuel cap, which resulted in a total loss of engine power due to fuel starvation.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot reported that while in cruise flight, the engine suddenly started running rough and the engine rpms rapidly decreased from 2,100 to 1,900. The pilot immediately applied full carburetor heat, but the engine continued running rough so he headed toward the nearest airport. While on the base leg of the traffic pattern, the engine lost all power. The airplane subsequently touched down short of the runway and collided with a fence. Postaccident examination of the wreckage found that the left auxiliary fuel tank was empty and the right auxiliary tank was about one-third full. The auxiliary tank fuel selector under the instrument panel was found in the off position. The main fuel tank, which was configured to feed the engine, was full and the fuel indicator also indicated full. Further examination of the engine revealed no evidence of mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. The pilot reported that the main fuel tank fuel cap was misplaced when the airplane was refueled. The pilot then borrowed a fuel cap from a local mechanic and installed it on the main tank filler port. An examination of the airplane revealed that the borrowed fuel cap was a non-vented type; because there was no other vent for the main tank, the only vent would be through a vented cap. As fuel was used from the main tank, the lack of a vented cap caused a vacuum within the main tank that eventually reduced the fuel flow, starving the engine. Had an auxiliary tank been selected, adequate venting would have occurred because both auxiliary tanks had vented fuel caps.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.