Thatcher CX4 N306TA

Summary

On 9 September 2021 at about 17:45 local time, a Thatcher CX4 registered N306TA was involved in an accident near Marshalltown, Iowa, United States. One person was on board and one 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

9 September 2021 at 17:45

Classification

Accident

Location

Marshalltown, Iowa, United States

Nearest airport

Marshalltown Municipal Airport (MIW)

Coordinates

42.1226, -92.9455

Aircraft

Thatcher CX4

Registration

N306TA

Category

Airplane

Year built

2008

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CEN21LA419

1 person had minor injuries.

The pilot’s failure to properly determine the correct fuel quantity during preflight inspection that resulted in a loss of engine power during approach due to fuel exhaustion.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot stated that he visually inspected the airplane fuel quantity before the flight and estimated there was 6 gallons of fuel. He said there was enough fuel for the planned flight with a fuel consumption rate of 3.5 gallons/hour. After he flew to an airport to perform a touch-and-go landing, in addition to local area flying, he began a return flight to the departure airport. He then realized that the airplane fuel quantity gauge indicated a fuel consumption that was greater than he had planned. About 3 miles from the departure/destination airport, the fuel gauge indicated near empty, and the engine ceased operation. He said he restarted the engine, which operated for about 5 seconds and then quit again. The pilot performed a forced landing on a corn field, during which the airplane nosed over. The airplane sustained substantial damage that included damage to the fuselage, empennage, and both wings. The pilot said the loss of engine power was due to his overestimation of fuel quantity during his preflight of the airplane and the inaccuracy of the fuel gauge. The pilot said there was no mechanical malfunction or failure of the airplane that would have precluded normal operations.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.