Amateur-built ZENITH 701 STOL N246CV accident near Carlton, New York

Probable cause

The pilot’s lack of recognition that the engine was being supplied fuel from only the right tank with the fuel selector in the both position, which resulted in the total loss of engine power due to fuel starvation. Contributing to the accident was the blockage of the left fuel tank supply line.

NTSB analysis

Several days before the accident flight, the pilot performed a local flight in the accident airplane, and, at the beginning of the flight, each fuel tank contained about 8 gallons of fuel. At the initiation of the accident flight, the pilot performed a preflight inspection and noted that the left tank still had 8 gallons of fuel but that the right tank had only 2 gallons. He departed with the fuel selector positioned to the both position, and, about 15 minutes into the flight, the engine sputtered then lost power completely. The pilot maneuvered the airplane for a forced landing in a field. After touchdown with obstructions ahead, he applied the brakes, and the airplane nosed over. Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed a blockage of the left fuel tank supply line resulting in no fuel flow to the engine. No other discrepancies were reported. The evidence is consistent with the pilot having exhausted all usable fuel in the right fuel tank, and, due to the fuel line blockage in the left fuel tank supply line, the engine did not receive any fuel from the left tank.

Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for ERA11LA473 for the full record.