Fairchild Funk M62C F 23A accident near Columbia, Tennessee, March 23, 2018
On March 23, 2018 at about 9:10 pm local time, a 1965 Fairchild Funk M62C F 23A, registered N1131Z, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute (cruise) near Columbia, Tennessee. It was a positioning 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
The pilot's inadvertent selection of the fuel selector handle to the off position, which resulted in fuel starvation and a total loss of engine power.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 23, 2018 · about 9:10 pm local time
- Place
- Columbia, Tennessee · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Fairchild Funk M62C F 23A NO SERIES, built 1965
- Registration
- N1131Z · registry record · serial 9
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Positioning flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The private pilot reported that he departed for the cross-country flight with a full load of fuel. During cruise flight, he attempted to balance the fuel load by turning the fuel selector from the left tank to the right tank; shortly thereafter, the engine lost total power. The pilot attempted to troubleshoot the problem and restart the engine but was unsuccessful. The pilot performed a forced landing to a soft field; during the landing, the airplane settled into the mud, which resulted in separation of the landing gear and substantial damage to the wing spar. Postaccident examination revealed that the left fuel tank was ruptured and contained no fuel, while the right fuel tank contained about 16 gallons of fuel. Additional examination of the fuel system did not reveal any evidence of preimpact malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. During a postaccident interview, the pilot stated that he routinely flew an airplane of a similar model with a different fuel selector configuration than the accident airplane. The pilot stated that when changing fuel tanks, he may have inadvertently positioned the fuel selector to an incorrect position. Because the engine failure occurred immediately after the pilot changed the fuel selector position, it is likely that the pilot inadvertently turned the fuel selector to the off position, which starved the engine of fuel and resulted in the total loss of engine 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
- Fuel starvation during enroute (cruise)
- Loss of engine power (total) during enroute (cruise) defining event
- Off-field or emergency landing during landing
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Incorrect action selection › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Fuel system › Fuel selector/shutoff valve › Incorrect use/operation
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Use of equip/system › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Terrain › Wet/muddy terrain › Contributed to outcome
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 371 hours in all; 19 in this make and model; 16 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days; 234 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: December 24, 2016
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,788 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 22, 2017
- Maximum gross weight: 4,300 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Jacobs RT55B2 (piston); 3,026 hours total
- Operator: Texas Air Museum
The flight
- Departed from: MQY Smyrna TN at 8:30 pm
- Destination: F49 Slaton TX
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 9:15 pm from KMRC, 12 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
7 documents, released by the NTSB on March 7, 2019. 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, 10 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Memorandum of Conversation - Pilot | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | Pilot Logbook Excerpt | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 4 | Maintenance Records Excerpts | PDF, 6 pages | View Download |
| 5 | Post Accident Maintenance Inspection | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 6 | FAA Inspector's Report | PDF, 17 pages | View Download |
| 7 | Accident Site and Damage Photographs | PDF, 5 pages | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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 never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.