Navion L-17B accident near Sharpsburg, Georgia, May 14, 2000
On May 14, 2000 at about 11:05 pm local time, a Navion L-17B, registered N4903E, was substantially damaged in an accident near Sharpsburg, Georgia. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured and 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
Total loss of engine power due to debris (aluminum) from an undetermined source found in the engine-driven fuel pump cavity resulting in the shearing of the hollow pump fuel shaft, and subsequent forced landing to none suitable terrain.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 14, 2000 · about 11:05 pm local time
- Place
- Sharpsburg, Georgia · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured and 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Navion L-17B · all L-17Bs on the register
- Registration
- N4903E · no longer on the register · serial NAV-4-1644
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot stated he had completed the after takeoff check, set the climb power, and started his crosswind turn at 1,400 feet when the engine quit. He initiated the emergency procedures with negative results, selected a forced landing area and made a distress call. He informed his passengers that he would not be able to make the forced landing area, and made a forced landing into the trees. Examination of the engine assembly and accessories revealed a failure of the engine-driven fuel pump. Debris (aluminum) from an undetermined source was found in the engine-driven fuel pump cavity. This resulted in the shearing of the hollow pump fuel shaft, and subsequent forced landing to none suitable terrain.
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: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 13,000 hours in all; 250 in the last 90 days; 80 in the last 30 days; 10,000 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,732 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection; 13 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental E185-9 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: FFC Peachtree City GA at 11:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 320° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; clear
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 43°F (6°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:53 pm from FFC
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
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 MIA00LA157.