Summary
On June 16, 1999, a North American NAVION L-17A (N109F) was involved in an incident near Osceola, WI. All 2 people aboard were uninjured. The aircraft sustained substantial damage.
The National Transportation Safety Board determined the probable cause of this incident to be: The pilot's mismanagement of the fuel system in that he had the fuel selector positioned to a tank which did not contain sufficient fuel for the flight. Factors associated with the accident were the crop and the ditch which the airplane encountered during the forced landing.
On June 16, 1999, at 1600 central daylight time (cdt), a North American Navion L-17A, N109F, operated by a private pilot, collided with the terrain after undershooting the runway during a forced landing in Osceola, Wisconsin. The pilot and passenger were not injured. The airplane was substantially damaged. The 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight was operating in visual meteorological conditions without a flight plan. The flight departed Anoka, Minnesota, at 1530 cdt, and was destined for Rice Lake, Wisconsin.
The pilot reported that during the aircraft preflight he observed that the main fuel tank was half full and the auxiliary tank was full.
This incident is documented in NTSB report CHI99LA186. AviatorDB cross-references NTSB investigation data with FAA registry records to provide comprehensive safety information for aircraft N109F.
Accident Details
Probable Cause and Findings
the pilot's mismanagement of the fuel system in that he had the fuel selector positioned to a tank which did not contain sufficient fuel for the flight. Factors associated with the accident were the crop and the ditch which the airplane encountered during the forced landing.
Aircraft Information
Registered Owner (Current)
Analysis
On June 16, 1999, at 1600 central daylight time (cdt), a North American Navion L-17A, N109F, operated by a private pilot, collided with the terrain after undershooting the runway during a forced landing in Osceola, Wisconsin. The pilot and passenger were not injured. The airplane was substantially damaged. The 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight was operating in visual meteorological conditions without a flight plan. The flight departed Anoka, Minnesota, at 1530 cdt, and was destined for Rice Lake, Wisconsin.
The pilot reported that during the aircraft preflight he observed that the main fuel tank was half full and the auxiliary tank was full. He reported that he departed Anoka County and after 35 minutes of flight time the engine "coughed" and he immediately turned toward the airport in Osceola. He reported he was six to eight miles away from the airport at an altitude of 3,500 feet mean sea level and he planned to land on runway 28. The pilot reported he turned on the fuel boost pumps and the engine started briefly twice. He switched to the auxiliary fuel tank and was unable to get the engine started. The pilot reported, "... I realized that we were not going to make it to the runway. The successful forced landing through a corn field was interrupted by a shallow ditch that brought the aircraft to a stop approximately 400 feet short of runway 28."
A post accident inspection of the airplane was conducted by an inspector from the Federal Aviation Administration Minneapolis Flight Standards District Office. The inspector reported that both the tip and main fuel tanks were empty, and the auxiliary fuel tank was full of fuel. The inspector reported the airplane initially impacted the terrain approximately 1,000 feet short of the approach end of the runway and that the landing gear and flaps were extended.
Data Source
Data provided by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). For more information on this event, visit the NTSB Records Search website. NTSB# CHI99LA186