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).
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 November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 6, 1991 · about 9:16 pm local time · cases in 1991
- Place
- Gadsden, Alabama · Gadsden Municipal · cases near this airport · 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 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- N4726X on the register today · the tail number may have moved to another aircraft since
- Cessna 320 138 registered today · the model family and its accident history
- Cessna 72,685 aircraft on the register
- Engine: Continental TSIO-520B 9 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- Northeast Alabama Regional · nearest airport
- Accidents and incidents in Alabama 1,211 since 1982 · 173 in the last ten years
- Alabama 4,351 aircraft registered
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/ATL92LA003.json.
The bigger picture in Aviation Analytics: accidents over time since 1982, by model, by phase of flight and conditions, by place and on the map.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text does not name anyone involved, its policy at this time. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.