Accident Ryan Navion N4488K, Tuesday 17 November 1992

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Date:	Tuesday 17 November 1992
Time:	17:12 LT
Type:	Ryan Navion
Owner/operator:	Private
Registration:	N4488K
MSN:	NAV4-1488
Total airframe hrs:	1323 hours
Engine model:	Continental E-185-9
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 2
Other fatalities:	0
Aircraft damage:	Substantial
Category:	Accident
Location:	Dublin, VA - United States of America
Phase:	En route
Nature:	Private
Departure airport:	Butler City, PA (KBTP)
Destination airport:	Newbury, SC (27J)
Investigating agency:	NTSB
Confidence Rating:	Accident investigation report completed and information captured

Narrative:
ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, THE ENGINE STOPPED RUNNING DURING CRUISE FLIGHT. FUEL WAS AVAILABLE, BUT THE ENGINE COULD NOT BE RESTARTED. DURING AN EMERGENCY WHEELS-UP LANDING ON ROUGH TERRAIN, THE AIRPLANE SLID INTO A TREE. EXAMINATION OF THE FUEL SYSTEM REVEALED THAT THE FUEL PRESSURE REGULATOR WAS ADJUSTED TO A MINIMUM PRESSURE SETTING. ABOUT 4 PSI OF FUEL PRESSURE WAS AVAILABLE; A MINIMUM OF 10 PSI WAS NEEDED FOR THE PRESSURE CARBURETOR TO OPERATE. WITH THE LINE FROM THE ENGINE DRIVEN FUEL PUMP TO THE FUEL PRESSURE REGULATOR BLOCKED (FOR A TEST), THE FUEL PRESSURE WOULD READ IN EXCESS OF 15 PSI. NO REASON WAS FOUND FOR THE IMPROPER ADJUSTMENT.

Probable Cause: IMPROPER ADJUSTMENT OF THE FUEL PRESSURE REGULATOR WHICH PRODUCED AN INADEQUATE FUEL FLOW AND SUBSEQUENT FUEL STARVATION. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE ROUGH TERRAIN AND TREES IN THE EMERGENCY LANDING AREA.

Accident investigation: