ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 65363
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| Date: | Tuesday 2 June 2009 |
| Time: | 15:55 |
| Type: |  Zenair STOL CH 801 |
| Owner/operator: | Private |
| Registration: | N1399X |
| MSN: | 8-4399 |
| Engine model: | Franklin 6A-350-C1 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 2 / Occupants: 2 |
| Aircraft damage: | Substantial |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | Copiah County Airport (M11), Crystal Springs, Mississippi -
 United States of America
|
| Phase: | Landing |
| Nature: | Private |
| Departure airport: | Gallman, MS (M11) |
| Gallman, MS (M11) | |
| Investigating agency: | NTSB |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
After maintenance was performed that required the draining of the fuel tanks and removal and reinstallation of the right wing, the pilot-rated mechanics performed a test flight of the accident airplane in the airport traffic pattern. While turning from the base leg onto final approach for the runway, the airplane experienced a total loss of power. The pilot made a right turn in the direction of a field; the airplane then struck trees and impacted terrain in a nearly flat, inverted attitude. A postcrash fire then ensued. Examination of the wreckage revealed no evidence of any preimpact malfunctions of the engine or airplane. During examination of the fuel system it was revealed that the fuel system consisted of four fuel tanks, each with a single fuel outlet located at the lower rear corner of the fuel tank. Further examination of the fuel system and the existing burn patterns from the postcrash fire also revealed that the right main fuel tank and the left auxiliary fuel tank had contained little or no fuel in them prior to the accident. The lack of fuel in the right main fuel tank and the location of the fuel outlet, in combination with the airplane's nose-low attitude during descent to the runway and the left bank required to turn from the base to final leg of the traffic pattern, likely resulted in air entering the fuel system from the empty or nearly empty right main fuel tank.
Probable Cause: A total loss of engine power due to fuel starvation as a result of the flightcrew's improper fuel management.
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
NTSB
Location
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 02-Jun-2009 22:15 | slowkid | Added |
| 03-Jun-2009 07:11 | slowkid | Updated |
| 04-Jun-2009 11:33 | harro | Updated |
| 04-Jun-2009 23:08 | Anon. | Updated |
| 25-Mar-2010 11:43 | Anon. | Updated [Aircraft type, Source] |
| 21-Dec-2016 19:25 | ASN Update Bot | Updated [Time, Damage, Category, Investigating agency] |
| 02-Dec-2017 15:38 | ASN Update Bot | Updated [Other fatalities, Nature, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative] |
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