Navion NAVION N4900K

Summary

On 6 September 2014 at about 14:05 local time, a Navion NAVION registered N4900K, operated by McKenney Inc, was involved in an accident near Rock Hill, South Carolina, United States. 3 people were on board and 3 had minor injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

6 September 2014 at 14:05

Classification

Accident

Location

Rock Hill, South Carolina, United States

Nearest airport

Rock Hill/York Co/Bryant Field (UZA)

Coordinates

34.9489, -81.1819

Aircraft

Navion NAVION

Registration

N4900K

Category

Airplane

Year built

1949

Engines

1

Operator

McKenney Inc

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Woodruff → Rock Hill

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ERA14LA425

3 people had minor injuries.

The pilot’s improper fuel management, which resulted in the exhaustion of the fuel supply in the selected fuel tank and a subsequent total loss of engine power.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The private pilot reported that the airplane departed on the 52-mile flight with about 30 gallons of fuel on board, of which about 4 gallons were in the auxiliary fuel tank. The pilot stated that the airplane was in cruise flight about 2,800 ft and that the engine power was set at 21 inches of manifold pressure and 2,000 rpm. About 30 minutes after departure, the engine "abruptly" stopped producing power. The pilot turned on the electric fuel pump, switched fuel tanks, applied full throttle and mixture and carburetor heat, and attempted an engine restart. However, the engine would not restart. The pilot stated that, during the descent, he noticed that the fuel pressure reading was 2 to 3 pounds per square inch (psi), which was well below the normal operating range of 11 to 14 psi. The pilot selected an open field about 3 miles from the destination airport for the forced landing, during which the airplane struck a ditch and fence, which resulted in the separation of the landing gear. Postaccident examination of the airplane and the engine and its accessories revealed no preimpact mechanical anomalies that would have prevented normal operation. Although the pilot stated that, after the accident, he reentered the airplane and turned the fuel selector valve and the electric fuel pump to the "off" position, photographs taken during the airplane's recovery revealed that the fuel selector was in the "aux" position. Fuel was found in the main tanks, but the auxiliary fuel tank was empty. Based on the engine's fuel consumption rates, the estimated 4 gallons of fuel in the auxiliary fuel tank would have been consumed during the accident flight at either a slow or fast-cruise power setting.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.