Cessna 320 accident near Gadsden, Alabama, October 6, 1991
On October 6, 1991 at about 9:16 pm local time, a Cessna 320, registered N4726X, was substantially damaged in an accident near Gadsden, Alabama (Gadsden Municipal airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
FUEL STARVATION DUE TO INCORRECT FUEL LINE INSTALLATIONS, AN INOPERATIVE FUEL BOOST PUMP, AND INCORRECT PILOT PROCEDURE. A FACTOR IN THIS ACCIDENT WAS THE PILOT'S INTENTIONAL OPERATION WITH A KNOWN FUEL SYSTEM DEFICIENCY.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 6, 1991 · about 9:16 pm local time
- Place
- Gadsden, Alabama · Gadsden Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 320 · all 320s on the register
- Registration
- N4726X · registry record · serial 3200026
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT WAS AWARE OF A PROBLEM WITH THE AIRCRAFT FUEL SYSTEM, SINCE FUEL FROM THE RIGHT MAIN TANK WOULD FEED QUICKER THAN FROM THE LEFT MAIN TANK. RATHER THAN HAVE THE A/C REPAIRED IN FLORIDA, HE ELECTED TO FLY THE A/C TO HIS HOME IN INDIANA TO HAVE THE REPAIRS DONE THERE. WHILE ON APPROACH TO A REFUELING STOP, HE REPORTED THAT BOTH ENGINES QUIT SIMULTANEOUSLY. A FORCED LANDING WAS MADE IN A NEARBY FIELD. THE INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE LT TANK BOOST PUMP WAS INOP, AND THE FUEL SYSTEM CROSSFEED LINES WERE INCORRECTLY INSTALLED (NORMAL X-FEED WAS DISABLED). THUS, FUEL FROM THE RT, MAIN TANK WAS PRESSURE FED TO THE LT, MAIN TANK, AND THEN OVERBOARD, UNTIL THE RT TANK WAS EMPTIED, AND THE RT ENGINE QUIT. HOWEVER, FUEL WAS STILL AVAILABLE TO THE LT ENGINE. THEREFORE THE SAFETY BOARD BELIEVES THAT THE PILOT SELECTED X-FEED ON THE LT FUEL SELECTOR AFTER THE RT ENGINE QUIT; THIS SUBSEQUENTLY SHUT OFF FUEL TO THE LT ENGINE.
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
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 5,500 hours in all; 1,100 in this make and model; 50 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 2, 2000
- Maximum gross weight: 4,990 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-520B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PFN Panama City FL at 7:46 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 36, 4,803 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 340° at 8 knots
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 27°F (-3°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:55 pm from GAD, 3 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
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 docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site 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 ATL92LA003.