Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Fire Island, New York 11772
Sunday, September 20, 2009 10:10 EDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
According to the pilot, the airplane was equipped with three fuel tanks: one main tank in each wing and an auxiliary tank in the fuselage. Each tank had a capacity of approximately 20 gallons. Prior to his departure, the pilot filled the auxiliary fuel tank and determined that there was a total of approximately 25 gallons in the main tanks. During cruise, about 55 minutes into the cross-country flight, the pilot decided to switch from the main wing tanks to the auxiliary tank. In accordance with the normal operating procedure, the pilot first turned on the fuel boost pump and then switched the fuel selector valve to the auxiliary tank. Very shortly thereafter the engine lost all power. The pilot immediately switched the fuel selector valve back to the main tanks. Although all controls were set properly, the engine did not resume developing power and the pilot’s restart attempts were unsuccessful. The pilot then executed a forced landing on a nearby beach. Postaccident examination and testing revealed that the cork gasket in the fuel strainer was deteriorated, did not provide a proper seal, and allowed air to be introduced into the fuel system when the selector valve was switched to the auxiliary tank. The investigation could not determine the age of the gasket or whether it was the correct part. The airplane had accumulated about 5 hours in service since the fuel selector valve was replaced, and the airplane had not been flown using fuel from the auxiliary tank since the valve replacement.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
A total loss of engine power during cruise flight due to fuel starvation as a result of a deteriorated fuel gasket.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 9/20/2009 |
| Event Day of the Week | Sunday |
| Time of Event | 1010 |
| Event Time Zone | Eastern Daylight Time |
| Event City | Fire Island |
| Event State | NEW YORK |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 11772 |
| Event Date Year | 2009 |
| Event Date Month | 9 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 404200N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0725500W |
| 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 | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 956 Eastern Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 360 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | ISP |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 99 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 12 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | EDT |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | -- |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | 3500 |
| 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) | 19 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 9 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 140 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 4 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 30.34 |
| 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 | 3 |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | -- |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 27832 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA Eastern ROC |
| NTSB Notification Date | -- |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Dec 23 2010 12:19PM |
| User who most recently changed record | kenj |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N4467K |
| NTSB Number | ERA09LA532 |
| 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 | RYAN |
| Aircraft Model | Navion |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | NAV-4-1467 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 2750 |
| 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 | Sep 1 2009 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 5 |
| Airframe Hours | 4000 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | Yes |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | Unknown |
| Aircraft Owner Name | Robert G Giacobone |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | -- |
| Aircraft Owner City | Lincoln |
| Aircraft Owner State | RI |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 02865 |
| Operator is an individual? | Yes |
| Operator Name | Paul Santopietro |
| Operator Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Street Address | -- |
| Operator City | Providence |
| Operator State | RI |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 02907 |
| 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 | OQU |
| Departure City | Kingstown |
| Departure State | RI |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 915 |
| Departure Time Zone | EDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | -- |
| Destination Airport Code | WWD |
| Destination City | Wildwood |
| Destination State | NJ |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | -- |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Dec 23 2010 12:19PM |
| User who most recently changed record | kenj |
| Since inspection or accident | Last Inspection |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | N/A |
| Runway Length | -- |
| Runway Width | -- |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |