Ryan NAVION A accident near Taunton, Massachusetts, May 20, 1995
On May 20, 1995 at about 2:30 pm local time, a Ryan NAVION A, registered N4285K, was substantially damaged in an accident near Taunton, Massachusetts. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 4 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the failure of the pilot to monitor his fuel supply, which resulted in a power loss due to fuel exhaustion, and a forced landing in rough terrain.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 20, 1995 · about 2:30 pm local time
- Place
- Taunton, Massachusetts
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 4 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Ryan NAVION A · all NAVION As on the register
- Registration
- N4285K · no longer on the register · serial NAV-4-1285
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
IN CRUISE FLIGHT, THE ENGINE SPUTTERED, THEN QUIT. THE PILOT MADE A FORCED LANDING IN A ROUGH FIELD. EXAMINATION OF THE FUEL SYSTEM (37 GALLONS USEABLE), REVEALED IT WAS INTACT, THE FUEL TANKS WERE EMPTY, AND THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE OF FUEL LEAKAGE OR SIPHONING. THE PILOT REPORTED HE HAD STARTED WITH FULL TANKS AND THEN ADDED 10 GALLONS OF FUEL AFTER THE 2ND FLIGHT. THE AIRPLANE HAD FLOWN 3.6 HOURS AND MADE 5 TAKEOFFS WHEN THE POWER LOSS OCCURRED. THE PILOT REPORTED HE COMPUTED THE FUEL BURN AT 12 GPH.
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: 173 hours in all; 45 in this make and model; 9 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days; 78 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,231 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 23, 1994; 50 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,350 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental E-185 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Blue Hill Air
The flight
- Departed from: OWD Norwood MA at 3:00 pm
- Destination: 1B2 Edgartown MA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 250° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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.
Other NTSB records under N4285K the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.