Date & Time:
May 27, 2001 at 1400 LT
Type of aircraft:
Cessna 207 Skywagon/Stationair
Operator:
Lake Mead Air
Registration:
N6427H
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Positioning
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Marble Canyon – Kanab
MSN:
207-0522
YOM:
1979
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
0
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
0
Other fatalities:
0
Total fatalities:
0
Captain / Total hours on type:
34
Aircraft flight hours:
7485
Circumstances:
The pilot departed for the cross-country flight with 10 gallons of fuel in the left tank and 17 gallons of fuel in the right tank. He leveled off and reduced to cruise power. He said he was "preparing to make switch from left to right tank....just before I could make the switch, the engine lost power." He attempted to switch tanks and restart the engine, but could not get a restart. He performed a forced landing to a dirt road. During the landing roll, the left wing struck a tree and the airplane rotated 180 degrees. The engine was torn from the mount, both wing spars were bent, and the empennage sustained substantial damage. A salvage team member noted, during the airplanes recovery, that there were approximately 10 to 15 gallons of fuel in the left tank; he said the right fuel tank was empty.
Probable cause:
The pilot's inadequate fuel consumption planning, and the subsequent fuel starvation, which resulted in a loss of engine power.
Final Report:
N6427H.pdf90.93 KB
