Carlton, NY, USA
N246CV
WOOLSTON GLENN E ZENITH 701 STOL
Several days before the accident flight, the pilot performed a local flight in the accident airplane, and, at the beginning of the flight, each fuel tank contained about 8 gallons of fuel. At the initiation of the accident flight, the pilot performed a preflight inspection and noted that the left tank still had 8 gallons of fuel but that the right tank had only 2 gallons. He departed with the fuel selector positioned to the both position, and, about 15 minutes into the flight, the engine sputtered then lost power completely. The pilot maneuvered the airplane for a forced landing in a field. After touchdown with obstructions ahead, he applied the brakes, and the airplane nosed over. Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed a blockage of the left fuel tank supply line resulting in no fuel flow to the engine. No other discrepancies were reported. The evidence is consistent with the pilot having exhausted all usable fuel in the right fuel tank, and, due to the fuel line blockage in the left fuel tank supply line, the engine did not receive any fuel from the left tank.
On August 26, 2011, about 1800 eastern daylight time, an experimental amateur built Woolston CH701, N246CV, registered to a private individual, was substantially damaged during a forced landing in a field near Carlton, New York. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and no flight plan was filed for the 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 91 personal, local flight from Gaines Valley Aviation Airport (NY06), Albion, New York. The certificated private pilot, the sole occupant sustained minor injury. The flight originated from NY06 about 1745. The pilot stated that on either August 21st or August 22nd, each fuel tank contained 8 gallons of automotive fuel. The airplane was then operated uneventfully on successive short duration flights with no additional fuel added to the fuel tanks. The pilot further stated that before departure on the accident flight, he used a dipstick to check the fuel quantity in each wing fuel tank. The left fuel tank contained 8 gallons and the right fuel tank contained 2 gallons. He planned on a 20 to 25 minute flight and departed towards the north with the fuel selector positioned to both. While flying about 600 to 800 feet above ground level, the engine sputtered then quit. He looked for a place to land and maneuvered the airplane for a forced landing to a field. After touchdown in the field, he noticed components of an irrigation system and applied the brakes to avoid the equipment but the airplane nosed over. Postaccident inspection of the airplane by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector revealed no fuel flow from the left fuel tank to the engine compartment. Further inspection revealed a nipple part number P/N F125-4A from the left fuel supply system was clogged with a small piece of rubber which prevented fuel flow. No other discrepancies were reported.
The pilot’s lack of recognition that the engine was being supplied fuel from only the right tank with the fuel selector in the both position, which resulted in the total loss of engine power due to fuel starvation. Contributing to the accident was the blockage of the left fuel tank supply line.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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