Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Three Forks Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Three Forks, Montana 59752
Sunday, January 18, 2009 17:45 MST
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The pilot reported that prior to departure he noted that both wing tip tanks were full of fuel and that the main tank was at least 2/3 full, giving adequate fuel for the flight. After takeoff, the pilot repositioned the fuel selector to draw fuel from the right tip tank, and later, while en route, the pilot switched the fuel selector to the left tip tank. Approaching the destination airport, the pilot became somewhat distracted while talking with a passenger. He did not follow the prelanding checklist and failed to reposition the fuel selector to the main tank, which contained adequate fuel. When the airplane was about 2.5 miles from the airport, all engine power was lost. The pilot then repositioned the fuel selector to draw fuel from the main tank; however, engine power was not restored as the airplane descended from the traffic pattern. The pilot made a forced landing on the underlying rough terrain. During roll out, the airplane collided with vegetation and a wing broke.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
A total loss of engine power due to fuel starvation as a result of the pilot's inadequate fuel system management. Contributing to the accident were the pilot's diverted attention and failure to perform the prelanding checklist.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 1/18/2009 |
| Event Day of the Week | Sunday |
| Time of Event | 1745 |
| Event Time Zone | Mountain Standard Time |
| Event City | Three Forks |
| Event State | MONTANA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 59752 |
| Event Date Year | 2009 |
| Event Date Month | 1 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 455412n |
| Event Location Longitude | 1113147w |
| Event Location Airport | Three Forks |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | 9S5 |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | Off Airport/Airstrip |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | 1.5 |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | -- |
| Airport Elevation | 4089 |
| 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 | Dusk |
| 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) | 20 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | -- |
| 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 | None |
| On Ground, Fatal Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Minor Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Serious Injuries | -- |
| Injury Total Fatal | -- |
| Injury Total Minor | -- |
| Injury Total None | 4 |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | -- |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 25036 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA NM ROC |
| NTSB Notification Date | -- |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Apr 14 2009 5:25PM |
| User who most recently changed record | grol |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N4443K |
| NTSB Number | WPR09CA092 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | VFR |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | Yes |
| Damage | Substantial |
| Aircraft Fire | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | RYAN |
| Aircraft Model | NAVION |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | NAV-4-1443 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 2850 |
| Aircraft Category | Airplane |
| Aircraft Registration Class | -- |
| Aircraft is a homebuilt? | No |
| Flight Crew Seats | 2 |
| Cabin Crew Seats | -- |
| Passenger Seats | 2 |
| Total number of seats on the aircraft | 4 |
| Number of Engines | 1 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Fixed |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | Annual |
| Date of Last Inspection | Mar 8 2008 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 51 |
| Airframe Hours | 5738 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | Yes |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | Unknown |
| Aircraft Owner Name | OLSON PHILIP A |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | -- |
| Aircraft Owner City | MANHATTAN |
| Aircraft Owner State | MT |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 59741-0545 |
| Operator is an individual? | Yes |
| Operator Name | OLSON PHILIP A |
| Operator Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Street Address | -- |
| Operator City | MANHATTAN |
| Operator State | MT |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 59741-0545 |
| Operator Code | -- |
| Owner has at least one certificate | None |
| Other Operator of large aircraft? | No |
| 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 | GCC |
| Departure City | Gillette-Campbe |
| Departure State | WY |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1503 |
| Departure Time Zone | MST |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | crash at destination city |
| Destination Airport Code | 9S5 |
| Destination City | Three Forks |
| Destination State | MT |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | -- |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Feb 13 2009 4:50PM |
| User who most recently changed record | coos |
| Since inspection or accident | Time of Accident |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | 20 |
| Runway Length | 5100 |
| Runway Width | 60 |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |