Hutto, TX, USA
N5453U
GRUMMAN AMERICAN AVN. CORP. AA-5
Shortly after takeoff, while on departure, the airplane's engine lost all power. The pilot attempted to troubleshoot the loss of engine power but was unable to get the engine to restart. The pilot then elected to make a forced landing to a corn field. During the forced landing, the airplane's landing gear separated, the right wing crushed aft, and the airplane nosed over. Flight control continuity was confirmed. An examination of the airplane's fuel system showed that the right fuel tank contained 10 gallons of fuel. The left fuel tank was empty. The pilot reported that he was flying on (had selected) the left fuel tank when engine power was lost. No other preimpact anomalies were found.
On July 13, 2010, approximately 1035 central daylight time, a Grumman AA-5, N5453U was substantially damaged during a forced landing to a corn field near Hutto, Texas. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The personal flight was being conducted under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 without a flight plan. The commercial pilot sustained minor injuries. The local flight departed Taylor, Texas, approximately 1025. The pilot stated in a telephone conversation that he had been in flight for ten minutes when the engine started to shudder and run rough. The pilot attempted to trouble shoot the loss of engine power but was unable to restore full power. The pilot performed a forced landing to a corn field. During the forced landing the main landing gear separated, the left wing was crushed aft, and the airplane nosed over coming to rest inverted. In a written statement provided later by the pilot, he wrote that prior to the flight the fuel gauge indicated that the left fuel tank was full and the right fuel tank was one quarter to one half full. The pilot wrote that he had fueled the airplane prior to his flight review in May. The airplane had not been flown since the flight review. The pilot selected the left fuel tank for the flight. He did not visually verify the fuel quantity in either tank but did not see any evidence of a fuel leak on the asphalt tarmac. He also noted that several other pilots at his airport had reported cases of possible fuel siphoning from parked airplanes. According to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Inspector who traveled to the scene, 10 gallons of fuel from the right fuel tank was recovered into a small plastic kid's pool. The left wing fuel tank was empty. According to the team who recovered the airplane, only one cup of additional fuel was recovered from the airplane. Neither the left or right fuel tanks were compromised during the accident sequence. It was noted that the inspection panels below both the left and right fuel tanks were discolored and stained consistent with a fuel leak. The stains were rust in color, also consistent with the utilization of automotive fuel.
The loss of engine power due to fuel starvation as a result of the pilot's failure to visually verify his fuel quantity prior to the flight.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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