Sc Iar Sa Brasov IAR 825 N825BA

Summary

On 15 July 2012 at about 17:15 local time, a Sc Iar Sa Brasov IAR 825 registered N825BA, operated by Richard W. Cantley, was involved in an accident near Peru, Illinois, 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

15 July 2012 at 17:15

Classification

Accident

Location

Peru, Illinois, United States

Nearest airport

Illinois Valley Regional Arpt (KVYS)

Coordinates

41.3500, -89.1528

Aircraft

Sc Iar Sa Brasov IAR 825

Registration

N825BA

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Richard W. Cantley

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Sellersburg → Peru

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CEN12LA446

Nobody was injured.

The pilot's improper fuel management, which resulted in a total loss of engine power due to fuel starvation.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot reported that the airplane was topped off with fuel before departing on the cross-country flight. He stated that after flying for about two hours the airplane experienced a total loss of engine power while in the traffic pattern at the intended destination. He subsequently made a forced landing into a nearby cornfield because the airplane did not have sufficient altitude to glide to the runway. A postaccident examination revealed that the left wing fuel tank was void of any usable fuel. About 14 gallons of fuel were recovered from the right wing fuel tank during the disassembly and recovery of the wreckage. The supply line to the engine fuel control unit was void of any fuel. The fuel tank selector valve was positioned to draw fuel from both wing tanks. The engine started and ran uneventfully during a brief postaccident operational test run. Additional testing established that the fuel tank selector valve yielded equivalent flow rates in all positions. Although the fuel tank selector valve was found in the setting to draw fuel from both wing tanks following the accident, the loss of engine power was likely due to fuel starvation while operating with the selector valve positioned to the empty left wing tank.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.