Amateur-built SR3500 accident near Nenana, Alaska, September 17, 2023
On September 17, 2023, a 2005 amateur-built SR3500, registered N907W, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute near Nenana, Alaska. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A total loss of engine power due to fuel starvation. Contributing was the owner/builder’s inadequate maintenance.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 17, 2023
- Place
- Nenana, Alaska · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built SR3500, built 2005
- Registration
- N907W · registry record · serial 173SR
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that while enroute he noticed a slight rise in engine gas temperature (EGT) with a slight decrease in fuel consumption. Then engine power surged followed by a rapid decrease in power. The pilot performed a forced landing to the tundra and the airplane nosed over, resulting in substantial damage. Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed the fuel inlet screen into the fuel control unit was clogged, which prevented fuel from entering the engine. The pilot, who was the owner/builder, was unaware of the requirements to inspect and clean the fuel control inlet filter. The filter had been in operation for about 12 to 13 years before the accident. The installation service manual recommends that the owner/mechanic inspect and clean the fuel control inlet filter after break-in and at condition inspections or during annual inspections. The lack of maintenance of the fuel control inlet screen filter resulted in the screen becoming clogged and the subsequent fuel starvation.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Fuel starvation during enroute defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Maintenance › Scheduled/routine maintenance › Owner/builder
- Personnel issues › Experience/knowledge › Knowledge › Knowledge of equipment › Owner/builder
- Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Fuel system › Fuel filter › strainer › Not serviced/maintained
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot, flight engineer
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 30,712 hours in all; 720 in this make and model; 120 in the last 90 days; 28,200 as pilot in command; 1,200 on instruments
- Last flight review: February 1, 2023
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 720.7 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, October 3, 2022; 15 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,675 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Barret Precision M-14P (piston); 453 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PVT Nowitna River AK at 11:00 pm
- Destination: PANN Nenana AK
- Flight plan: VFR
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 320° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 5,000 ft; not recorded at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 50°F (10°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Weather report (METAR): METAR PANN 162353Z AUTO 06006KT 10SM CLR 14/03 A2906 RMK AO2 SLP845 T01390033 10150 20078 56017 TSNO=
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
5 documents, released by the NTSB on July 24, 2024. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 9 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Roc - Engine Manufacturer | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | Engine Examination | PDF, 14 pages | View Download |
| 4 | Excerpts - Fuel Control Installation Manual | PDF, 7 pages | View Download |
| 5 | Investigative Photographs | PDF, 4 pages | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number ANC23LA078.