Navion NAVION G accident near Montrose, Colorado, November 18, 2009
On November 18, 2009 at about 6:30 pm local time, a Navion NAVION G, registered N2493T, was substantially damaged in an accident during emergency descent near Montrose, Colorado. 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
A loss of engine power due to the pilot’s inadequate preflight planning.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 18, 2009 · about 6:30 pm local time
- Place
- Montrose, Colorado · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Navion NAVION G · all NAVION Gs on the register
- Registration
- N2493T · no longer on the register · serial NAV-4-2493
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
Prior to departure, the pilot performed a visual inspection and estimated the airplane contained 12-14 gallons of fuel. Approximately 35 minutes after takeoff and while on final approach to land, the engine lost complete power. Unable to reach the runway, the pilot elected to land on a residential street. Shortly before touchdown, the airplane impacted a tree and subsequently the street. The airplane came to rest in an upright position approximately 180 degrees opposite the direction of travel. An examination of the airplane following the accident revealed that the airplane's non-compromised fuel tanks contained approximately one and a half quarts of aviation fuel. No other pre impact anomalies were noted that would have prevented the engine from producing power.
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
- Loss of engine power (total) during approach (VFR pattern final)
- Fuel exhaustion during emergency descent defining event
- Controlled flight into terrain or object (CFIT) during emergency descent
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Planning/preparation › Fuel planning › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware › Fluids › Fuel › Fluid level
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 672 hours in all; 577 in this make and model; 9 in the last 90 days; 1 in the last 30 days; 629 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: June 30, 2009
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,924 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 2, 2009
- Maximum gross weight: 3,315 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Cont Motor IO 520 SERIES (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MTJ Montrose CO at 5:40 pm
- Destination: MTJ Montrose CO
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 310° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 37°F (3°C), dew point 27°F (-3°C)
- Altimeter: 30.11 inHg
- Observation at 5:53 pm from MTJ, 2 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.
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 CEN10LA056.