On June 8, 1991, a Ryan NAVION A (registration N4374K) operated by Merton L. Townsend was involved in an aviation accident near Kankakee, IL. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The engine quit due to fuel exhaustion. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
An airplane experienced engine failure due to fuel exhaustion within 10 miles of its destination, leading to a hard forced landing in a cornfield. The pilot reported the fuel quantity gauge indicated lower than expected but continued based on flight duration.
Accident Summary
The airplane was within 10 miles of its destination airport when the engine quit due to fuel exhaustion. The pilot executed a hard forced landing in a cornfield.
Pilot Account
The pilot stated that the main fuel tanks were topped off (40 gallons) at the origin of the flight. According to the pilot's flight planning, the trip was estimated to take 2 1/3 hours with a fuel flow of 13.1 gallons per hour. The accident occurred 2 1/4 hours after takeoff. During the flight, the pilot noted that the fuel quantity gauge indicated a lower amount than expected. Despite this, he continued toward his destination, judging his available fuel based on the duration of the flight.
Fuel System Information
The pilot stated that the airplane's fuel system could cause the main fuel tanks to appear full before they actually were, potentially misleading refuelers.