Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Emmett, Idaho 83617
Saturday, May 21, 2005 12:50 MDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

During cruise flight, the engine experienced a partial loss of power, and although there was some power being produced by the engine, it was not enough to maintain level flight. The pilot therefore turned on the fuel boost pump and switched tanks, but the situation did not change. He therefore attempted to find a suitable landing area, but he came up short of the only acceptable landing area, a golf course, and impacted a pole as he was touching down on a street just outside of the golf course boundaries. A post-accident inspection revealed that there was air leaking into the fuel system through a worn fuel selector valve stem and a hardened and brittle fuel selector valve O-ring.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The partial loss of engine power during cruise flight as a result of air being sucked into the fuel system due to a worn fuel selector valve stem and a hardened and brittle fuel selector valve O-ring. Factors include no suitable landing area within the aircraft's reduced power gliding distance, and a pole at the location where the pilot found it necessary to make an emergency landing.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/21/2005
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1250
Event Time Zone Mountain Daylight Time
Event City Emmett
Event State IDAHO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 83617
Event Date Year 2005
Event Date Month 5
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 435255N
Event Location Longitude 1163038W
Event Location Airport --
Event Location Nearest Airport ID --
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Pilot
Time of the weather observation
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) --
Weather Observation Facility ID --
Elevation of weather observation facility --
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) --
Time Zone of the weather observation --
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height --
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 21
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) --
Variable Wind Indicator --
Wind Speed (knots) --
Wind Velocity Indicator Calm
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Minor
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 1
Injury Total None 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 18664
NTSB Notification Source FAA Operations Center
NTSB Notification Date May 21 2005 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Oct 27 2005 6:51AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\JOHB
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office Boise FSDO

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N8874H
NTSB Number SEA05LA103
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? No
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name North American
Aircraft Model Navion
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number NAV-4-874
Certified Max Gross Weight 2850
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class --
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 4
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection May 1 2003 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 2822
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Jack J. Biedrzycki
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City Boise
Aircraft Owner State ID
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 83704
Operator is an individual? No
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? --
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation --
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) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code KMYL
Departure City McCall
Departure State ID
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1230
Departure Time Zone MDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code S67
Destination City Nampa
Destination State IA
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight Cruise
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Sep 12 2005 1:05PM
User who most recently changed record STAM
Since inspection or accident Last Inspection
Event Location Runway Number and Location --
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --