NTSB Factual Report

On May 21, 2005, at 2345 central standard time, a Bellanca 17-30A single-engine airplane, N39821, sustained substantial damage after a forced landing to a golf course while on final approach to West Houston Airport (IWS), Houston, Texas. The private pilot/owner and the passenger sustained serious injuries. A visual flight rules flight plan was not filed for the flight that originated at Corpus Christie International Airport (CRP), Corpus Christie, Texas, about, 2235. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the personal flight conducted under 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91.

The pilot reported that he had departed earlier that day from West Houston Airport and flew to Corpus Christie. Prior to departing West Houston Airport, and according to fuel receipts, the pilot purchased 28 gallons of 100LL fuel, and filled both main tanks (38 gallons total) and the auxiliary wing tanks (34 gallons total) with fuel, for a total of 72 gallons. The auxiliary fuselage tank was not filled at this time, but the pilot stated there was approximately 3-4 gallons in the tank; however, the tank was not selected during the flights. The pilot performed a preflight inspection of the airplane and visually confirmed that all four fuel tanks were full. In addition, the electric fuel gauges in the cockpit indicated that all four tanks were full.

The flight from West Houston Airport to Corpus Christie took 1-hour and 7-minutes, and the pilot stated that he only selected fuel from the main tanks. He estimated a fuel burn rate of 19.2 gallons for the flight. After arriving in Corpus Christie, the pilot requested that the main tanks be topped off with fuel. According to fuel records, the pilot was charged for 19 gallons of fuel.

Prior to departing Corpus Christie, the pilot used his flashlight and performed a preflight inspection of the airplane; however, he did not visually check the fuel level in the wing tanks. But, he did notice that the fuel gauges indicated all four tanks were full. At 2235, the pilot departed Corpus Christie and climbed to an altitude of 5,500 feet mean sea level. About 20 minutes into the flight, the pilot switched from the LEFT MAIN tank to the LEFT AUX tank.

The flight was uneventful until the pilot turned onto final approach at West Houston Airport and the engine stopped producing power. He estimated that he was about 800 feet above the ground and his only option was to perform a forced landing. He feathered the propeller and maintained a safe airspeed, about 50 mph, as the airplane descended through trees and came to rest on a golf course.

A Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector performed an on-scene examination of the airplane. According to the inspector, the airplane came to rest upright with the tail of the airplane bent approximately 90 degrees to the right and pressed against a tree. The engine and both wings remained attached to the airframe. Examination of the airplane's fuel system revealed it was equipped with five fuel tanks; a main (inboard) and auxiliary tank (outboard) in each wing, plus an auxiliary tank in the fuselage. The wing tanks were intact and the fuselage tank was breached. The inspector reported that there was no fuel in the left wing tanks or the right main tank. However, the right auxiliary tank was full. The main fuel selector handle was found set to the RIGHT MAIN tank, and the auxiliary fuel selector handle was found set to the FUSELAGE position. In addition, there was no evidence of any fuel spillage or spoilage of vegetation around the airplane.

After the airplane was recovered, the FAA inspector performed another examination of the airplane. The left wing, engine and the tail section had been separated from the fuselage. Due to impact damage, the fuel system could not be pressurized. All four-wing tanks were intact, the fuel screens were absent of debris, and the fuel selectors functioned normally. One of the left wing sump valves was found in the near full-open position. There was some white/blue crystallization on the valve and the drain hole was full of dirt.

The pilot purchased the airplane on May 6, 2005, and had accrued approximately 25 hours in make/model. At the time of his last third class FAA physical in March 2005, he reported a total of 470 flight hours.

The pilot reported the weather at the time of the accident as calm winds, visibility 10 miles, and clear skies.

NTSB Probable Cause

The pilot's mismanagement of the fuel and his inadequate monitoring of the fuel supply which resulted in fuel starvation.