NORTH MUSKEGON, MI, USA
N44350
TAYLORCRAFT BC12-D1
THE LIGHT SINGLE-ENGINED AIRPLANE WAS FLYING A DOWNWIND LEG IN THE TRAFFIC PATTERN WHEN THE ENGINE STOPPED RUNNING. A WITNESS HEARD THE ENGINE STOP, LOOKED UP AND SAW THE AIRPLANE 200 FEET ABOVE THE GROUND. THE WITNESS WATCHED THE AIRPLANE UNTIL IT WENT BEHIND THE TOPS OF THE TREES. SHORTLY AFTERWARDS THE WITNESS HEARD A LOUD THUMP. THE INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE AIRPLANE HAD STRUCK THE GROUND IN A STEEP NOSE DOWN ATTITUDE WHILE ATTEMPTING TO TURN A SHORT FINAL APPROACH LEG. EXAMINATION OF THE WRECKAGE REVEALED AN EMPTY MAIN FUEL TANK WITH ITS SELECTOR VALVE IN THE 'ON' POSITION; AND A FULL AUXILIARY FUEL TANK WITH ITS SELECTOR VALVE IN THE 'OFF' POSITION. FUEL HAD NOT LEAKED FROM THE MAIN TANK. A SMALL LEAK WAS OBSERVED AROUND THE AUXILIARY TANK.
THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND'S NOT MAINTAINING SUFFICIENT AIRSPEED AND ENTERING INTO AN INADVERTENT STALL. FACTORS RELATED TO THIS ACCIDENT WERE FUEL STARVATION AND THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND'S NOT SELECTING A PROPER FUEL TANK SELECTOR POSITION.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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