Individually Owned: 151,845
Corporate Owned: 143,699
Grand Canyon Natl Park Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Grand Canyon, Arizona 86023
Thursday, November 2, 1995 14:50 MST
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The aircraft experienced a loss of engine power on the initial climb. The pilot reported the low pressure fuel light illuminated, and the fuel pressure gauge read near zero. The pilot manipulated the fuel selector through all tank positions with the electric fuel boost pump switch in the 'on' position, but fuel pressure was not restored. Subsequently, the airplane collided with trees dring a forced landing on mountainous terrain about 2.3 miles southwest of the airport. The airplane had been modified with the installation of an auxiliary ferry fuel tank, which was only to be used during cruise flight. Fuel flow to the engine from the ferry tank was controlled by a selector valve handle, which had two positions, off and on. During a postcrash examination, the selector valve handle was found positioned a few degrees off the closed position. The ferry tank fuel line received suction whenever the mechanical or electrical fuel pumps are operating. When the valve was set at least 5 degrees off the closed position, air entered the fuel line to the engine. The valve was located near the right foot of the right seat occupant. This airplane was normally to be flown from the right seat.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
the pilot inadvertently allowed the ferry tank fuel selector to be in (or to be moved to) a partially open position before or during takeoff, which allowed air to enter the fuel system lines and result in fuel starvation. The location of the valve in the cockpit allowed the ferry tank fuel selector handle to be susceptible to inadvertent movement by the pilot's foot.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 11/2/1995 |
| Event Day of the Week | Thursday |
| Time of Event | 1450 |
| Event Time Zone | Mountain Standard Time |
| Event City | GRAND CANYON |
| Event State | ARIZONA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 86023 |
| Event Date Year | 1995 |
| Event Date Month | 11 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | |
| Event Location Longitude | |
| Event Location Airport | GRAND CANYON NATL PARK |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | GCN |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | Off Airport/Airstrip |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | 2 |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | 235 |
| Airport Elevation | 6606 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | Not pertinent |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1450 Mountain Standard Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 55 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | GCN |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 6606 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 2 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | MST |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | 0 |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | 0 |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Clear |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | None |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | 0 |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | 0 |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 10 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 11 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 1 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 260 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Unknown |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 8 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | Unknown |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Unknown |
| Wind Gust (knots) | 17 |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 30 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | 7400 |
| Intensity of Precipitation | Unknown |
| METAR weather report | -- |
| Event Highest Injury | Serious |
| On Ground, Fatal Injuries | 0 |
| On Ground, Minor Injuries | 0 |
| On Ground, Serious Injuries | 0 |
| Injury Total Fatal | -- |
| Injury Total Minor | -- |
| Injury Total None | -- |
| Injury Total Serious | 1 |
| Injury Total All | 1 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 1877 |
| NTSB Notification Source | -- |
| NTSB Notification Date | Nov 2 1995 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 1430 |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | IMAGE |
| Date of most recent change to record | Dec 7 2000 4:42PM |
| User who most recently changed record | dbo |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N404FD |
| NTSB Number | LAX96LA036 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | N |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | VFR |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | -- |
| Damage | Destroyed |
| Aircraft Fire | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | Agusta |
| Aircraft Model | F.260D |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | F.260D |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 769 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 2668 |
| Aircraft Category | Airplane |
| Aircraft Registration Class | U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil |
| Aircraft is a homebuilt? | No |
| Flight Crew Seats | -- |
| Cabin Crew Seats | -- |
| Passenger Seats | -- |
| Total number of seats on the aircraft | 2 |
| Number of Engines | 1 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Retractable |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | Annual |
| Date of Last Inspection | Jan 3 1995 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 139 |
| Airframe Hours | 380 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | Yes |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | Unknown |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | VALHALLA AVIATION INC. |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 10100 SANTA MONICA BLVD, 13TH |
| Aircraft Owner City | LOS ANGELES |
| Aircraft Owner State | CA |
| Aircraft Owner Country | |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 90067 |
| Operator is an individual? | -- |
| Operator Name | |
| Operator Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Street Address | |
| Operator City | |
| Operator State | |
| Operator Country | |
| Operator Zip code | |
| Operator Code | |
| Owner has at least one certificate | None |
| Other Operator of large aircraft? | No |
| Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation | Unknown |
| Operator Certificate Number | -- |
| Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not | -- |
| Indicates Domestic or International Flight | -- |
| Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail | -- |
| Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) | Ferry |
| Second Pilot on Board | No |
| Departure Point Same as Event | Yes |
| Departure Airport Code | GCN |
| Departure City | |
| Departure State | |
| Departure Country | |
| Departure Time | 1440 |
| Departure Time Zone | MST |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | -- |
| Destination Airport Code | LAS |
| Destination City | LAS VEGAS |
| Destination State | NV |
| Destination Country | |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Emergency landing |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jan 2 2001 10:34AM |
| User who most recently changed record | dbo |
| Since inspection or accident | -- |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | 21 |
| Runway Length | 8999 |
| Runway Width | 150 |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |