Covington Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Covington, Georgia 30209
Tuesady, January 10, 1995 17:15 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE AIRCRAFT COLLIDED WITH TERRAIN WHILE EXECUTING A FORCED LANDING INTO COVINGTON, GEORGIA. THE COMMERCIAL PILOT AND HIS PILOT RATED PASSENGER HAD COMPLETED A FLIGHT FROM PEACHTREE CITY, GEORGIA, AND WERE IN THE TRAFFIC PATTERN AT COVINGTON MUNICIPAL AIRPORT FOR A VISUAL APPROACH WHEN THE AIRCRAFT LOST POWER IN BOTH ENGINES, AS THE AIRCRAFT TURNED FROM THE BASE LEG TO FINAL. THE PILOTS HAD FLOWN DURING CRUISE WITH THE FUEL SELECTOR IN THE AUXILIARY FUEL TANKS POSITION, AND HAD SWITCHED TO THE MAIN FUEL TANKS POSITION WHILE TURNING ONTO THE DOWNWIND LEG. LESS THAN 42 OUNCES OF FUEL WAS DRAINED FROM THE LEFT AUXILIARY TANK, AND LESS THAN ONE GALLON WAS DRAINED FROM THE RIGHT AUXILIARY TANK. THE MAIN TIP TANKS WERE FOUND TO HAVE 35 GALLONS EACH.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT'S IMPROPER FUEL MANAGEMENT WHICH RESULTED IN FUEL STARVATION AND LOSS OF ENGINE POWER.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 1/10/1995
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 1715
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City COVINGTON
Event State GEORGIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 30209
Event Date Year 1995
Event Date Month 1
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport COVINGTON
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 9A1
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 1
Degrees magnetic from airport 280
Airport Elevation 796
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1650 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 300
Weather Observation Facility ID ATL
Elevation of weather observation facility 1026
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 25
Time Zone of the weather observation EST
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) 15
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 4
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 110
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 9
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
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) 167
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jan 10 1995 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1900
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 7 2000 3:59PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N4104Q
NTSB Number ATL95LA035
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 310N
Aircraft Series Identifier 310N
Aircraft Serial Number 310N-0004
Certified Max Gross Weight 5200
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 6
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Sep 18 1994 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 55
Airframe Hours 3015
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name PLANE ENJOYMENT
Aircraft Owner Street Address 404 CALGARY DRIVE
Aircraft Owner City PEACHTREE CITY
Aircraft Owner State GA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 30269
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name GIELOW, HAROLD R.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 554 CRAWFORD ROAD
Operator City SENOIA
Operator State GA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 30276
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 Yes
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code FFC
Departure City PEACHTREE CITY
Departure State GA
Departure Country
Departure Time 1630
Departure Time Zone EST
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
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 10:30AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 10
Runway Length 4200
Runway Width 75
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --