Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Rochester, Massachusetts 02270
Sunday, October 9, 1994 11:50 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT WAS APPROACHING THE POND FOR A LANDING IN THE FLOAT-EQUIPPED AIRPLANE, WHEN THE ENGINE SUDDENLY QUIT. THE PILOT WAS UNABLE TO GLIDE TO THE POND, AND THE AIRPLANE IMPACTED TREES DURING THE FORCED LANDING. THE FAA INSPECTOR EXAMINED THE AIRPLANE AND FOUND 1 GALLON OF FUEL IN THE LEFT TANK AND NO FUEL IN THE RIGHT TANK. THE ENGINE WAS PLACED IN A TEST STAND AND STARTED. THE FAA INSPECTOR STATED IN HIS REPORT: 'THE ENGINE WAS STARTED AND RAN FOR APPROXIMATELY 15 MINUTES AT VARIOUS POWER SETTINGS...WITH NO APPARENT MALFUNCTIONS.'

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's inadeqaute calculation of fuel and inadeqaute inflight decision which resulted in fuel exhaustion and the loss of engine power.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 10/9/1994
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1150
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City ROCHESTER
Event State MASSACHUSETTS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 02270
Event Date Year 1994
Event Date Month 10
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) 20
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) --
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 240
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 20
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 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 3
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1969
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Oct 9 1994 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1600
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 6 2000 12:29PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N53074
NTSB Number NYC95LA002
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 185F
Aircraft Series Identifier 185F
Aircraft Serial Number 18502359
Certified Max Gross Weight 3100
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 3
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Dec 3 1993 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 20
Airframe Hours 1897
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name WALTER P. FARIA
Aircraft Owner Street Address 137 DAWSON ST.
Aircraft Owner City NEW BEDFORD
Aircraft Owner State MA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 02740
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 NONE
Departure City NANTUCKET
Departure State MA
Departure Country
Departure Time 0
Departure Time Zone
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Emergency landing
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 --