Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Taunton, Massachusetts 02780
Saturday, May 20, 1995 10:30 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

IN CRUISE FLIGHT, THE ENGINE SPUTTERED, THEN QUIT. THE PILOT MADE A FORCED LANDING IN A ROUGH FIELD. EXAMINATION OF THE FUEL SYSTEM (37 GALLONS USEABLE), REVEALED IT WAS INTACT, THE FUEL TANKS WERE EMPTY, AND THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE OF FUEL LEAKAGE OR SIPHONING. THE PILOT REPORTED HE HAD STARTED WITH FULL TANKS AND THEN ADDED 10 GALLONS OF FUEL AFTER THE 2ND FLIGHT. THE AIRPLANE HAD FLOWN 3.6 HOURS AND MADE 5 TAKEOFFS WHEN THE POWER LOSS OCCURRED. THE PILOT REPORTED HE COMPUTED THE FUEL BURN AT 12 GPH.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

the failure of the pilot to monitor his fuel supply, which resulted in a power loss due to fuel exhaustion, and a forced landing in rough terrain.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/20/1995
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1030
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City TAUNTON
Event State MASSACHUSETTS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 02780
Event Date Year 1995
Event Date Month 5
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 Not pertinent
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) 21
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 250
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 10
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 Minor
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 4
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 4
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 160
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date May 20 1995 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1510
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 7 2000 4:16PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N4285K
NTSB Number NYC95LA116
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 RYAN
Aircraft Model NAVION A
Aircraft Series Identifier NAVION A
Aircraft Serial Number NAV-4-1285
Certified Max Gross Weight 2350
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 Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Oct 23 1994 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 50
Airframe Hours 2231
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name FRANK FLAGG
Aircraft Owner Street Address 129 UNION STREET
Aircraft Owner City NORFOLK
Aircraft Owner State MA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 02056
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name BLUE HILL AIR
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 106 ACCESS ROAD
Operator City NORWOOD
Operator State MA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 02062
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 OWD
Departure City NORWOOD
Departure State MA
Departure Country
Departure Time 1100
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code 1B2
Destination City EDGARTOWN
Destination State MA
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 --