Aeronca 11AC N9044E

Summary

On 9 September 1999 at about 23:00 local time, a Aeronca 11AC registered N9044E was involved in an accident near Van Horn, Texas, United States. One person was on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

9 September 1999 at 23:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Van Horn, Texas, United States

Coordinates

31.0405, -104.8309

Aircraft

Aeronca 11AC

Registration

N9044E

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Fort Stockton → Van Horn

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

FTW99LA267

Nobody was injured.

A restriction within the auxiliary fuel supply system and the rough terrain during the subsequent precautionary landing resulting on main gear collapse.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

According to the pilot, who was the new owner of the airplane, the previous owner stated that the auxiliary fuel tank had not been used since he owned the airplane. The pilot filled the auxiliary fuel tank prior to the cross-country flight, sumped the tank twice for sediment and/or water, and found none. During the first two legs of the flight the auxiliary fuel tank appeared to be draining into the main fuel tank; however, during the third leg of the flight, the main fuel tank quantity went down to 1-2 gallons of fuel and the auxiliary fuel tank remained full. The pilot elected to make a precautionary landing in an open area. During the landing roll, the main landing gear impacted a rut and collapsed. A mechanic, who helped recover the airplane, stated that the auxiliary fuel tank had drained into the main fuel tank by the time they recovered the airplane a few days after the accident.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.