Whiteside County Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Rock Falls, Illinois 61081
Wednesday, April 19, 1995 19:15 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT STATED THAT HE BELIEVED THERE WAS 1/2 HOUR OF FUEL REMAINING IN THE AIRPLANE'S RIGHT FUEL TANK AND NO FUEL IN THE LEFT FUEL TANK. HE MADE NO VISUAL CHECK OF THE FUEL TANKS PRIOR TO TAXI AND DEPARTURE. AT APPROXIMATELY 300 FEET ABOVE THE GROUND ON THE INITIAL CLIMB AFTER TAKEOFF, THE ENGINE LOST ALL POWER. THE PILOT MADE A 180 DEGREE TURN BACK TO THE AIRPORT TO MAKE A FORCED LANDING. THE AIRPLANE LANDED ON THE GRASS SHORT OF THE RUNWAY, NOSED OVER, AND CAME TO REST IN AN INVERTED POSITION. POSTACCIDENT EXAMINATION REVEALED NO FUEL IN THE RIGHT FUEL TANK AND APPROXIMATELY TWO TO THREE GALLONS OF FUEL IN THE LEFT FUEL TANK. NO MECHANICAL ANOMALIES WERE REVEALED.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

the failure of the pilot to refuel prior to fuel exhaustion. A factor in the accident was the pilot's poor preflight planning/preparation.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 4/19/1995
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 1915
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City ROCK FALLS
Event State ILLINOIS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 61081
Event Date Year 1995
Event Date Month 4
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport WHITESIDE COUNTY AIRPORT
Event Location Nearest Airport ID SQI
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 647
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 2015 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID SQI
Elevation of weather observation facility 647
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
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) 11
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 2
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 80
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 4
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 Minor
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 1
Injury Total None 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 123
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Apr 20 1995 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 736
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 7 2000 4:12PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N9418D
NTSB Number CHI95LA134
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 PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-22-160
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-22-160
Aircraft Serial Number 22-6392
Certified Max Gross Weight 2000
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 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Jun 24 1994 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 44
Airframe Hours 3443
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name STEPHEN C. SCHLAGER
Aircraft Owner Street Address 2 DELORA LANE
Aircraft Owner City CARTERVILLE
Aircraft Owner State IL
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 62918
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 SQI
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1840
Departure Time Zone CDT
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 Takeoff
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 36
Runway Length 3900
Runway Width 100
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --