Ryan NAVION A accident near Hudson, Colorado, March 6, 1997
On March 6, 1997 at about 11:00 pm local time, a Ryan NAVION A, registered N800PS, was substantially damaged in an accident near Hudson, Colorado. 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 power loss due to fuel starvation as a result of the pilot's inadequate preflight inspection of the airplane and its fuel system. Factors include: the pilot's failure to refuel the airplane, the improper fuel tank selector position that would not allow fuel transfer from the fuselage tank to the wing tanks, and the rough, uneven, and soft terrain on which the forced landing was made.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 6, 1997 · about 11:00 pm local time
- Place
- Hudson, Colorado · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Ryan NAVION A · all NAVION As on the register
- Registration
- N800PS · registry record · serial NAV 4-1502
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot said he last flew the airplane 5 days before the accident. On that day, the airplane had been fueled to capacity, then he flew for 1.5 hours. For the accident flight, the pilot estimated he had no less than 38 gallons of fuel on board (20 gallons in the fuselage tank and 18 gallons in the two wing tanks). The pilot said that although he did not visually check the fuel tanks prior to takeoff, the fuel gauges indicated all fuel tanks were full. Shortly after takeoff, the engine lost power. The pilot made a forced landing in a plowed field, and the airplane was substantially damaged. When the pilot removed the right wing fuel cap, he saw no evidence of fuel in the tank. The fuselage tank was full. Fuel from the fuselage tank can be introduced into the main fuel supply by opening the fuel transfer valve. Activating the boost pump will accelerate the process. The pilot said he turned on the boost pump but did not have sufficient time to open the fuel transfer valve.
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: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 657 hours in all; 342 in this make and model; 2 in the last 90 days; 544 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,333 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 29, 1996; 5 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,750 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-520-B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: CO12 Brighton CO at 10:50 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 110° at 11 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 59°F (15°C), dew point 9°F (-13°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
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.
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.