ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 355462
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| Date: | Friday 1 August 1997 |
| Time: | 20:45 LT |
| Type: |  Bellanca 17-30A |
| Owner/operator: | Jug Aviation, Inc. |
| Registration: | N8237R |
| MSN: | 30473 |
| Total airframe hrs: | 4145 hours |
| Engine model: | Continental IO-520-K |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1 |
| Aircraft damage: | Substantial |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | Eagle, MI -
 United States of America
|
| Phase: | En route |
| Nature: | Private |
| Departure airport: | Oshkosh, WI (KOSH) |
| Detroit, MI (KDET) | |
| Investigating agency: | NTSB |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
The pilot said that he had departed with a main fuel tank selected to feed the engine. Once the airplane got above '4,500 feet,' the pilot switched to an auxiliary fuel tank. 'Fuel usage was timed using a countdown clock for each tank. Approaching Lansing, [Michigan] I requested and got flight following to Detroit. A few minutes later, my fuel countdown clock signaled time for a fuel cell change.' The pilot switched to a full tank. At that time, the engine lost power. The pilot switched to another full tank, but the engine wound not start. 'I told Lansing Approach of my problem; they gave me the direction to the nearest airport, and I did the Bellanca Viking restart procedure. The plane would not restart.' The pilot declared an emergency and force landed the airplane in a cornfield. Examination of the wreckage revealed that one of the airplane's five fuel tanks was empty. The remaining fuel tanks were full of fuel. No other anomalies were revealed with the airplane.
Probable Cause: the pilot's inaccurate fuel consumption calculations, his decision to switch fuel tanks too late, and fuel starvation.
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
NTSB CHI97LA241
Location
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 12-Mar-2024 12:15 | ASN Update Bot | Added |
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