Pilot Debrief

North American NAVION near Cedar City, UT — 2020-08-02

Final reportWPR20LA249
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Date
2020-08-02
Location
Cedar City, UT, USA
Airport
CDC
Aircraft
North American NAVION
Registration
N225HJ
Category
Airplane
Highest injury
Fatal
Fatalities
2
Phase of flight
Descent

Probable cause

A total loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s improper fuel planning and failure to see and avoid the communications tower support guy wire.

Contributing factors

Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s improper fuel planning and failure to see and avoid the communications tower support guy wire.

NTSB narrative

The pilot and pilot-rated passenger departed from Strawberry Valley Estates Airport (UT24), Alton, Utah, on a cross-country flight. The airplane flew in a direction that was consistent with a heading toward their planned destination, Cedar City Regional Airport (CDC), Cedar City, Utah. As the airplane neared its destination, witnesses heard the pilot make a distress call indicating that the airplane was out of gas and that he was trying to make a forced landing in a field. Other witnesses observed the airplane descending and then impacting terrain. Shortly thereafter, a nearby communications tower collapsed. Postaccident examination of the airframe and engine revealed no preimpact malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. The airplane’s main fuel tanks held 20 gallons each with a total of 39.5 gallons of usable fuel. According to a friend of the pilot, the airplane was fueled at North Las Vegas Airport (VGT), Las Vegas, Nevada, on the day before the accident. The airplane then departed VGT and flew two flights with a total time of about 1 hour 55 minutes. On the day of the accident, the airplane departed UT24, which was about 30 miles (and about 20 minutes of flying time) from the last known point of contact from the previous day. The accident flight’s duration was about 31 minutes. The airplane’s distance traveled since fueling was consistent with consuming the usable fuel in the main fuel tanks. Thus, the airplane’s fuel load at the time of departure from UT24 was insufficient to complete the planned flight to CDC, and a total loss of engine power ensued. Additionally, examination of the airplane wreckage at the accident site revealed a support guy wire from the communications tower wrapped around the front of the airplane. Thus, while attempting the forced landing, the pilot failed to see and avoid the communications tower and subsequently struck the guy wire.

Analysis

Primary failure mode
Fuel management
First missed decision gate
Pilot could have landed at a closer airport instead of attempting to reach CDC.

NTSB coding

Evidence available

  • ADS-B / radar
  • Photos
  • 10 docket documents
View NTSB final reportView NTSB docket

Docket documents10

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