NTSB Factual Report

On September 6, 2014, at 1005 eastern daylight time, a Navion Navion A, N4900K, was substantially damaged during a forced landing following a total loss of engine power on approach to Rock Hill Airport (UZA), Rock Hill, South Carolina. The private pilot/owner and two passengers sustained minor injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the flight, which departed Triple Tree Aerodrome (SC00), Woodruff, South Carolina, about 0930. The personal flight was conducted under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91.

In a written statement, the pilot said the airplane had a 60-gallon fuel capacity, and he departed with approximately 26 gallons of fuel in the main tanks, and about 4 gallons of fuel in the auxiliary tank, for the 35-minute flight to UZA. He then planned to fill the airplane with fuel for a flight back to Collegedale, Tennessee.

The pilot stated the airplane was in cruise flight about 2,800 feet, and the engine power was set at 21 inches of manifold pressure and 2,000 rpm. About 30 minutes after departure, the engine "abruptly" stopped producing power. The pilot turned on the electric fuel pump, switched fuel tanks, applied full throttle, mixture, and carburetor heat, and attempted an engine restart. The engine would not restart, and the pilot selected an open field for a forced landing about 3 miles from the destination airport.

During the descent, the pilot noticed that the fuel pressure reading was 2-3 psi, which was well below the normal operating range of 11-14 psi. He opened and closed the throttle during the descent, which produced power momentarily, but engine power was never fully restored. The pilot completed the forced landing, and the airplane struck a fence and a ditch, which separated the landing gear. The airplane came to rest upright with substantial damage to the engine compartment, fuselage, and empennage.

The pilot stated that after the accident he reentered the cockpit and moved the fuel selector and the electric fuel pump switch to the "off" position.

The pilot held a private pilot certificate with ratings for airplane single engine land. His most recent Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) third class medical certificate was issued June 20, 2014. The pilot reported 525 total hours of flight experience, of which 194 hours were in the accident airplane make and model.

The airplane was manufactured in 1949, and was equipped with a 205- horsepower Continental E-185-3 six-cylinder engine. Its most recent annual inspection was completed October 1, 2013, at 3,262.9 total aircraft hours.

The wreckage was recovered by local law enforcement and stored in an impound lot, where preliminary examination was performed by an FAA aviation safety inspector. He said the airplane's main fuel tanks, as well as fuel lines to the engine, contained fuel. The airplane wreckage was subsequently recovered by aircraft recovery specialists, who stated there was fuel in the main tanks, but the auxiliary fuel tank was empty. Photographs taken during recovery revealed that the fuel selector was in the "Aux" position.

The engine and airframe were examined in Atlanta, Georgia on October 22, 2014. A borescope examination of the cylinders revealed normal wear signatures. The engine was rotated by hand at the propeller, and continuity was established through the powertrain and valve train to the accessory section. Compression was confirmed using the thumb method. Both magnetos produced spark at all terminal leads. The carburetor was disassembled with no blockages or anomalies noted.

The engine-driven fuel pump was undamaged, and intact in its mount. The pump was removed, and the fuel pump inlet line was submerged in a solvent tank. When actuated with an electric drill, the pump discharged solvent from the outlet port. The electric fuel pumped fluid when actuated, utilizing the airplane's electrical system.

Examination of a Navion "Range Chart" for a Continental E-185-3-equipped airplane revealed fuel consumption rates of 8 gallons per hour at 1,700 rpm, 10 gallons per hour at 1,900 rpm, and 12.5 gallons per hour at 2,180 rpm at 2,000 feet altitude. At 70 percent power, cruise airspeed for the Navion was about 130 knots.

The straight-line distance from SC00 to UZA was 50.2 nautical miles.

NTSB Probable Cause

The pilot’s improper fuel management, which resulted in the exhaustion of the fuel supply in the selected fuel tank and a subsequent total loss of engine power.