Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Cobb County Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Atlanta, Georgia 30068
Friday, September 4, 2009 13:30 EDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
According to the pilot, the preflight, engine run-up, taxi, and takeoff from runway 9 were all normal. At 500 feet above ground level (agl) the engine lost power and the pilot maneuvered the airplane for a downwind landing on runway 27. The pilot confirmed the positions of the throttle, propeller, fuel pump, and fuel selector controls and the engine regained power temporarily. About 300 feet agl, the engine again lost power and the pilot elected to land in an off-airport field with the gear up due to the extension time required for the airplane’s landing gear system. During a postaccident examination of the airplane by a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector, operation of the airframe boost pumps revealed that the pumps would not draw fuel. Closer examination of the fuel selector valve and fuel shut-off cock revealed staining consistent with fuel leakage. When positive pressure was applied to the fuel tanks, fuel leaked around the shaft of the fuel shut-off cock located under the cockpit instrument panel area. Pressure was removed from the tanks, the fuel shut-off cock was sealed with a rag, and the boost pumps were then able to draw fuel when power was applied. Removal of the rag created an air leak, and the boost pumps would not draw fuel. The fuel selector valve and the fuel shut-off cock were then removed, disassembled, and examined under the supervision of the FAA inspector. Examination revealed that the interior O-ring seals for the selector shafts were loose on both. Another owner of the same make and model airplane provided a written account of a nearly identical scenario, which was resolved with the replacement of the O-ring seals. The manufacturer's Special Inspection List outlined "overhaul/replacement" of the fuel shut-off cock every 5 years or 1,500 flight hours, whichever occurred first. At the time of the accident, the airplane had accrued 1,592 total aircraft hours. Seven months, and 8 aircraft hours had elapsed since the airplane's most recent annual inspection. According to the FAA inspector, 14 CFR Part 43, Appendix D, listed the minimum inspection requirements for the completion of an annual inspection, that manufacturer's recommended overhaul schedules were recommended and not mandatory, and that the overall responsibility for the airworthiness of the airplane fell to the owner/operator.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
A total loss of engine power due to a fuel system air leak as a result of a deteriorated O-ring seal in the fuel shut-off cock. Contributing to the accident was the exceedance of the suggested overhaul schedule for the fuel shut-off cock.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 9/4/2009 |
| Event Day of the Week | Friday |
| Time of Event | 1330 |
| Event Time Zone | Eastern Daylight Time |
| Event City | Atlanta |
| Event State | GEORGIA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 30068 |
| Event Date Year | 2009 |
| Event Date Month | 9 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 340047N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0843555W |
| Event Location Airport | Cobb County |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | RYY |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | On Airport |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | 1 |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | -- |
| Airport Elevation | 1040 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1346 Eastern Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 270 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | RYY |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 1040 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 1 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | EDT |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | -- |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | 3000 |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Few |
| 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) | 24 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 15 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 110 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 12 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | 16 |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 30.14 |
| 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 | 2 |
| Injury Total None | -- |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | 2 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 27571 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA Atlanta FSDO |
| NTSB Notification Date | -- |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Oct 5 2010 12:06PM |
| User who most recently changed record | kenj |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N517P |
| NTSB Number | ERA09LA516 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | None |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | -- |
| Damage | Substantial |
| Aircraft Fire | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | SIAI-MARCHETTI |
| Aircraft Model | F.260 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 106 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 2430 |
| 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 | Jan 30 2009 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 8 |
| Airframe Hours | 1592 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | Yes |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | Unknown |
| Aircraft Owner Name | SEMONIAN GARY A |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | -- |
| Aircraft Owner City | MARIETTA |
| Aircraft Owner State | GA |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 30068-1826 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | SEMONIAN GARY A |
| Operator Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Street Address | -- |
| Operator City | MARIETTA |
| Operator State | GA |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 30068-1826 |
| 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 | Yes |
| Departure Airport Code | RYY |
| Departure City | Atlanta |
| Departure State | GA |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1330 |
| Departure Time Zone | EDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere |
| Destination Airport Code | RYY |
| Destination City | Atlanta |
| Destination State | GA |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | -- |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Oct 5 2010 12:06PM |
| User who most recently changed record | kenj |
| Since inspection or accident | Time of Accident |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | 09 |
| Runway Length | 6305 |
| Runway Width | 100 |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |