Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Gnoss Field Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Novato, California 94945
Thursday, February 10, 2011 13:52 PST
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The pilot reported that while in cruise flight, the engine suddenly started running rough and the engine rpms rapidly decreased from 2,100 to 1,900. The pilot immediately applied full carburetor heat, but the engine continued running rough so he headed toward the nearest airport. While on the base leg of the traffic pattern, the engine lost all power. The airplane subsequently touched down short of the runway and collided with a fence. Postaccident examination of the wreckage found that the left auxiliary fuel tank was empty and the right auxiliary tank was about one-third full. The auxiliary tank fuel selector under the instrument panel was found in the off position. The main fuel tank, which was configured to feed the engine, was full and the fuel indicator also indicated full. Further examination of the engine revealed no evidence of mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation.
The pilot reported that the main fuel tank fuel cap was misplaced when the airplane was refueled. The pilot then borrowed a fuel cap from a local mechanic and installed it on the main tank filler port. An examination of the airplane revealed that the borrowed fuel cap was a non-vented type; because there was no other vent for the main tank, the only vent would be through a vented cap. As fuel was used from the main tank, the lack of a vented cap caused a vacuum within the main tank that eventually reduced the fuel flow, starving the engine. Had an auxiliary tank been selected, adequate venting would have occurred because both auxiliary tanks had vented fuel caps.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The pilot's use of a non-vented fuel cap, which resulted in a total loss of engine power due to fuel starvation.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 2/10/2011 |
| Event Day of the Week | Thursday |
| Time of Event | 1352 |
| Event Time Zone | Pacific Standard Time |
| Event City | Novato |
| Event State | CALIFORNIA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 94945 |
| Event Date Year | 2011 |
| Event Date Month | 2 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 380837N |
| Event Location Longitude | 1223322W |
| Event Location Airport | Gnoss Field |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | DVO |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | Off Airport/Airstrip |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | 0 |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | -- |
| Airport Elevation | 2 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1350 Pacific Standard Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 315 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | DVO |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 2 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 1 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | PST |
| 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) | 16 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | -1 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 120 |
| 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) | 30.17 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | KDVO 102150Z AUTO 12004KT 10SM CLR 16/M01 A3017 RM |
| 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 | 1 |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | -- |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 30732 |
| NTSB Notification Source | AWP-6 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 | Nov 15 2012 7:46PM |
| User who most recently changed record | stam |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N2659E |
| NTSB Number | WPR11LA131 |
| 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 | AERONCA |
| Aircraft Model | 7AC |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 7AC-6241 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | -- |
| 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 | Annual |
| Date of Last Inspection | Nov 19 2010 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 3 |
| Airframe Hours | 4916 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | Unknown |
| Aircraft Owner Name | CLARY PAUL D |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | -- |
| Aircraft Owner City | SAN RAFAEL |
| Aircraft Owner State | CA |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 94903-3739 |
| Operator is an individual? | Yes |
| Operator Name | CLARY PAUL D |
| Operator Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Street Address | -- |
| Operator City | San Rafael |
| Operator State | CA |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 94903 |
| 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 | DVO |
| Departure City | Novato |
| Departure State | CA |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1230 |
| Departure Time Zone | PST |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere |
| Destination Airport Code | DVO |
| Destination City | Novato |
| Destination State | CA |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | -- |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Nov 15 2012 7:47PM |
| User who most recently changed record | stam |
| Since inspection or accident | Time of Accident |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | 13 |
| Runway Length | 3300 |
| Runway Width | 75 |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |