| Crash location | 39.566667°N, 95.300000°W |
| Nearest city | Lancaster, KS
39.572776°N, 95.302751°W 0.4 miles away |
| Tail number | N37395 |
|---|---|
| Accident date | 24 Apr 2005 |
| Aircraft type | Interstate S-1A-90F |
| Additional details: | None |
On April 24, 2005, at 1045 central daylight time, an Interstate S-1A-90F airplane, N37395, was substantially damaged during a forced landing following a loss of engine power near Lancaster, Kansas. The personal flight was being conducted under 14 CFR Part 91 without a flight plan. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed. The pilot reported no injuries. The flight departed Bent Nail Ranch airport, the aircraft owner's private airstrip, about 1035, with an intended destination of Amelia Earhart Airport (K59), Atchison, Kansas. Bent Nail Ranch was located approximately 12 nautical miles west-northwest of K59.
In his written statement, the pilot reported that approximately 8 minutes after takeoff, en route to K59, the engine lost power completely. He executed a forced landing on a gravel road. He stated that during the landing rollout the left wingtip struck a tree limb overhanging the road resulting in a 90-degree turn to the left. The airplane subsequently came to rest on a barbed wire fence. The pilot noted that the Curtis (fuel tank sump) drain did not seat properly after taking a fuel sample prior to takeoff.
A post-accident inspection of the aircraft was conducted. Approximately 2 ounces of fuel were recovered from the fuel tank through the sump drain. The fuel filler cap was removed and no fuel was observed in the tank. No water or contamination was observed in the sample drained from the sump.
Approximately 2 gallons of fuel was added to the aircraft. The engine was started and ran at full throttle and various intermediate power settings. A 50-revolution per minute (RPM) drop was observed when the engine was run on either the left or the right magneto alone. After the engine run the Curtis drain was dripping fuel and continued to drip until the valve was reseated. The fuel was estimated to be dripping at a rate of about 1 quart per hour.
A loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion as a result of a fuel leak. Contributing factors were the pilot's inadequate preflight/planning preparation and the unsuitable terrain encountered, the tree and the fence.