Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Athens/Ben Epps Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Colbert, Georgia 30628
Saturday, January 2, 1999 16:01 EST
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The preflight inspection of the fuel tanks by the pilot revealed the tanks were filled to the bottom of the filler neck, which the pilot believed was appropriately full. After starting the engine, fuel began leaking from the fuel sump drain hose. The pilot operated the spring loaded valve handle inside the airplane which apparently stopped the leak. Shortly after departing, the engine began running rough upon which the pilot began a deviation to another airport. During this time, the engine began running smoothly whereupon the pilot continued to his initial destination. During descent, the engine began running rough and the pilot decided the tanks had been exhausted. The pilot performed a forced landing causing substantial damage. The airplane cruising endurance based on 75% power and 90 gallons of fuel on board is 5.4 hours. However, the usable fuel capacity on this airplane when the fuel tanks are filled to the bottom of the filler necks is approximately 80 gallons. The actual flight time of this aircraft was 5.55 hours. A Federal Aviation Administration inspector who examined the airplane noted only residual fuel was found in the selector valve and no leaks were found in the fuel system.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
Inadequate planning/decision by the pilot, which resulted in fuel exhaustion due to an inadequate supply of fuel.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 1/2/1999 |
| Event Day of the Week | Saturday |
| Time of Event | 1601 |
| Event Time Zone | Eastern Standard Time |
| Event City | COLBERT |
| Event State | GEORGIA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 30628 |
| Event Date Year | 1999 |
| Event Date Month | 1 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | -- |
| Event Location Longitude | -- |
| Event Location Airport | ATHENS/BEN EPPS AIRPORT |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | AHN |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | Off Airport/Airstrip |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | 8 |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | 45 |
| Airport Elevation | -- |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | Full |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1532 Eastern Standard Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 45 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | AHN |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 802 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 8 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | EST |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | 600 |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | 0 |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Unknown |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | Overcast |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | 0 |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | 0 |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 2.5 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 0 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | -1 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 100 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Unknown |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 12 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | Unknown |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Unknown |
| Wind Gust (knots) | 22 |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 29 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | 2700 |
| Intensity of Precipitation | Light |
| METAR weather report | -- |
| Event Highest Injury | None |
| On Ground, Fatal Injuries | 0 |
| On Ground, Minor Injuries | 0 |
| On Ground, Serious Injuries | 0 |
| Injury Total Fatal | -- |
| Injury Total Minor | -- |
| Injury Total None | 1 |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | -- |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 41 |
| NTSB Notification Source | -- |
| NTSB Notification Date | Jan 2 1999 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 1655 |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | IMAGE |
| Date of most recent change to record | Apr 27 2001 4:04AM |
| User who most recently changed record | dbo |
| Basic weather conditions | Instrument Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N7295P |
| NTSB Number | ATL99LA037 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | N |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | IFR |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | -- |
| Damage | Substantial |
| Aircraft Fire | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | Piper |
| Aircraft Model | PA-24-250 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | PA-24-250 |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 24-2474 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 2900 |
| Aircraft Category | Airplane |
| Aircraft Registration Class | U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil |
| Aircraft is a homebuilt? | No |
| Flight Crew Seats | -- |
| Cabin Crew Seats | -- |
| Passenger Seats | -- |
| Total number of seats on the aircraft | 4 |
| Number of Engines | 1 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Retractable |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | Annual |
| Date of Last Inspection | Jun 17 1998 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 40 |
| Airframe Hours | 5980 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | Yes |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | 95 POPPA INC. |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 1415 CUSTIS CT |
| Aircraft Owner City | ATLANTA |
| Aircraft Owner State | GA |
| Aircraft Owner Country | |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 30338 |
| Operator is an individual? | -- |
| Operator Name | JOSEPH J. FRIEND |
| Operator Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Street Address | |
| Operator City | |
| Operator State | |
| Operator Country | |
| Operator Zip code | |
| Operator Code | |
| Owner has at least one certificate | None |
| Other Operator of large aircraft? | No |
| Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation | Unknown |
| Operator Certificate Number | -- |
| Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not | -- |
| Indicates Domestic or International Flight | -- |
| Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail | -- |
| Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) | Personal |
| Second Pilot on Board | No |
| Departure Point Same as Event | No |
| Departure Airport Code | BLM |
| Departure City | ALLAIRE |
| Departure State | NJ |
| Departure Country | |
| Departure Time | 1028 |
| Departure Time Zone | EST |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | -- |
| Destination Airport Code | LZU |
| Destination City | LAWRENCEVILLE |
| Destination State | GA |
| Destination Country | |
| Specific Phase of Flight | -- |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Apr 27 2001 4:04AM |
| User who most recently changed record | dbo |
| Since inspection or accident | -- |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | 0 |
| Runway Length | -- |
| Runway Width | -- |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |