Newnan-Coweta County Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Hogansville, Georgia 30230
Saturday, January 2, 1999 16:18 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

About 30 miles from the destination airport, approach control informed the pilot of lowered cloud ceilings and thunderstorm activity over the airport. At approximately the same time the pilot reported a low fuel condition and was vectored towards a second airport. A missed approach was performed at the second airport, and the pilot was given vectors towards a third airport. While descending for the third airport, the pilot reported that 'the left engine ran out of fuel' and the engine had quit. The pilot attempted an emergency landing on a power line right-of-way. According to the Piper Aircraft PA-34 Information Manual, N5016T has a usable fuel capacity of 93 U.S. gallons and seven gallons unusable. The pilot reported that he departed with 100 gallons of fuel on board. While operating the airplane at a gross weight of 4000 pounds and 65% power, fuel consumption is 18.3 gallons per hour for both engines, and maximum flight duration of 5.08 hours. N5016T had flown 5.72 hours when the accident occurred.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Fuel exhaustion due to inadequate planning and the pilot's failure to refuel the airplane. Factors were the weather conditions and hilly terrain.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 1/2/1999
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1618
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City HOGANSVILLE
Event State GEORGIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 30230
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 NEWNAN-COWETA COUNTY
Event Location Nearest Airport ID CCO
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 15
Degrees magnetic from airport 260
Airport Elevation 970
Weather Briefing Completeness Full
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1642 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 55
Weather Observation Facility ID ATL
Elevation of weather observation facility 1010
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 45
Time Zone of the weather observation EST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 400
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 2
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 1
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 1
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 90
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 16
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 23
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) 3600
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 4
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 98
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jan 2 1998 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1600
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 N5016T
NTSB Number ATL99LA038
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-34-200
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-34-200
Aircraft Serial Number 34-7250199
Certified Max Gross Weight 4200
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 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Jul 3 1998 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 49
Airframe Hours 3115
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name FREDERICK L. HOFMANN
Aircraft Owner Street Address 6609 RIDGEWAY DRIVE
Aircraft Owner City SPRINGFIELD
Aircraft Owner State VA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 22150
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
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 HEF
Departure City MANASSAS
Departure State VA
Departure Country
Departure Time 1030
Departure Time Zone EST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code CSG
Destination City COLUMBUS
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 --