Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Columbia, South Carolina 29174
Wednesday, March 24, 1999 18:44 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot was about 2 miles from his destination airport when he experienced a total loss of engine power. The pilot made a forced landing to a highway, landed on the shoulder, and the landing gear collided with a rain grate. The left main landing gear collided with a rain grate and separated. Visual examination of the left fuel tank revealed it was empty. The right fuel tank contained about 1/2 ounce of fuel.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilots failure to maintain a visual lookout during a forced landing to a highway. This resulted in the left main landing gear colliding with a rain grate separating the left main landing gear. Contributing to the accident was a total loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 3/24/1999
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 1844
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City COLUMBIA
Event State SOUTH CAROLINA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 29174
Event Date Year 1999
Event Date Month 3
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude --
Event Location Longitude --
Event Location Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Unknown
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Full
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1855 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 290
Weather Observation Facility ID CAE
Elevation of weather observation facility 236
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 1
Time Zone of the weather observation EST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 7500
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 24
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 7
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 230
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 5
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
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 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 72
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Mar 24 1999 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 2006
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Apr 27 2001 4:06AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N8397G
NTSB Number MIA99LA112
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Cessna
Aircraft Model 15OF
Aircraft Series Identifier 15OF
Aircraft Serial Number 15062497
Certified Max Gross Weight 1600
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 2
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Feb 1 1999 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 7
Airframe Hours 4989
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name CHRISTOPHER E. FORSYTHE
Aircraft Owner Street Address 2130 YELLOWSKIN ROAD
Aircraft Owner City AUTRYVILLE
Aircraft Owner State NC
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 28318
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name CHRISTOPHER E. FORSYTHE
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 3205 SNOWBERRY COURT
Operator City WILMINGTON
Operator State NC
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 28409
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 EDN
Departure City ENTERPRISE
Departure State AL
Departure Country
Departure Time 1436
Departure Time Zone CST
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code CAE
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Apr 27 2001 4:06AM
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 --