Franklin Field Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Franklin, California 95758
Saturday, October 10, 2009 13:45 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

While the student pilot was performing a touch-and-go takeoff and landing, the engine sputtered and lost power about 150 feet above ground level. The certified flight instructor (CFI) took the flight controls and continued the flight straight ahead for a forced landing to an open field. The CFI indicated that the field was rough, and during the landing roll, when the nose landing gear contacted the ground, it snapped off, and the airplane nosed over coming to rest inverted. After the accident, the CFI exited the airplane and instructed the student to turn off all the electronics, the fuel, and the ignition. The student said he attempted to turn off the pilot's side fuel selector, but found that it was already in the off position; the copilot's fuel selector was in the on position, so he turned that off before he departed the airplane. The CFI and the student pilot recalled that the left side fuel selector was turned off during the flight to the destination airport in order to balance the fuel load. Before landing, the CFI likely turned the fuel selector to the “off” position rather than the “both” position.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

A total loss of engine power due to fuel starvation, as a result of the certified flight instructor's improper fuel system management.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 10/10/2009
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1345
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City Franklin
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 95758
Event Date Year 2009
Event Date Month 10
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 381812N
Event Location Longitude 1212545W
Event Location Airport Franklin Field Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID F72
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 1
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 270
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Witness
Time of the weather observation 1353 Pacific Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 360
Weather Observation Facility ID SAC
Elevation of weather observation facility 24
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 12
Time Zone of the weather observation PDT
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) 23
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 9
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) --
Variable Wind Indicator Variable
Wind Speed (knots) 3
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29.8
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 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 29658
NTSB Notification Source FAA AWP Operations Center
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information --
Date of most recent change to record Mar 21 2012 7:15AM
User who most recently changed record johb
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N649BV
NTSB Number WPR10LA014
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 Costruzioni Aeronautiche Tecna
Aircraft Model P2004 Bravo
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 116
Certified Max Gross Weight 1320
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 2
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Sep 23 2009 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 694
Airframe Hours 694
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type Unknown
Aircraft Owner Name Devil Mountain Sport Aviation LLC
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City Concord
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 94521
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name Sterling Flight LLC
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address --
Operator City Concord
Operator State CA
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 94520
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) Instructional
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code CCR
Departure City Concord
Departure State CA
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1315
Departure Time Zone PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code F72
Destination City Franklin
Destination State CA
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Feb 13 2012 5:21PM
User who most recently changed record coos
Since inspection or accident Time of Accident
Event Location Runway Number and Location N/A
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --