Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Woodville, Texas 75979
Sunday, September 18, 1994 11:30 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

A MAINTENANCE FLIGHT WAS CONDUCTED TO CHECK THE ENGINE, CARBURETOR, AND A NEW HEADER TANK FUEL SIGHT GAUGE. THE FUEL FLOAT INDICATED THE HEADER TANK WAS FULL; THE FUEL TRANSFER PUMP WAS TURNED OFF TO CHECK THE MOVEMENT OF THE FUEL FLOAT. THE ENGINE STOPPED AND WOULD NOT RESTART. A FORCED LANDING WAS MADE INTO TREES. EXAMINATION OF THE SIGHT GAGE REVEALED THAT THE FLOAT WAS JAMMED IN THE FULL POSITION.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

WAS FUEL STARVATION. FACTORS WERE THE JAMMED FLOAT IN THE FUEL SIGHT GAGE AND THE LACK OF SUITABLE TERRAIN.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/18/1994
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1130
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City WOODVILLE
Event State TEXAS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 75979
Event Date Year 1994
Event Date Month 9
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 Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Pilot
Time of the weather observation 0
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
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) 27
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 90
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) --
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Serious
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1407
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Sep 18 1994 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1500
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 6 2000 12:14PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N345DH
NTSB Number FTW94LA303
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name HARRIS
Aircraft Model DRAGONFLY
Aircraft Series Identifier DRAGONFLY
Aircraft Serial Number 656
Certified Max Gross Weight 1150
Aircraft Category Ultralight
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? Yes
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 Apr 19 1994 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 5
Airframe Hours 84
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name HARRIS, JAMES H
Aircraft Owner Street Address 619 IVANHOE ESTATES DRIVE
Aircraft Owner City WOODVILLE
Aircraft Owner State TX
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 75979
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 Yes - certificate holder
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 Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1115
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State TX
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Cruise
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:34AM
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 --