Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Russellville, Alabama 35653
Saturday, July 15, 1995 11:45 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

WHILE CONDUCTING A SOLO CROSS COUNTRY FLIGHT, THE STUDENT PILOT BECAME DISORIENTED. HE ESTABLISHED RADIO CONTACT WITH FLIGHT SERVICE, AND REPORTED THAT HE HAD LESS THAN ONE FOURTH OF A TANK OF FUEL. FOUR MINUTES AFTER ESTABLISHING RADIO CONTACT, THE STUDENT PILOT REPORTED THAT THE ENGINE HAD QUIT. HE THEN SELECTED A FIELD AND MADE A FORCED LANDING. THE AIRPLANE NOSED OVER DURING THE LANDING ROLL AFTER IT COLLIDED WITH A BERM. ACCORDING TO THE STUDENT PILOT'S FLIGHT LOG, HE FLEW FIVE HOURS WITHOUT AN EN ROUTE REFUELING STOP. THE NORMAL FUEL ENDURANCE FOR THIS AIRPLANE IS APPROXIMATELY FOUR HOURS.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE STUDENT PILOT'S FAILURE TO PROPERLY PLAN ENOUGH FUEL FOR THE SOLO CROSS COUNTRY FLIGHT. A FACTOR WAS THE TERRAIN.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/15/1995
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1145
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City RUSSELLVILLE
Event State ALABAMA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 35653
Event Date Year 1995
Event Date Month 7
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 Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1152 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 20
Weather Observation Facility ID MSL
Elevation of weather observation facility 550
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 18
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 25000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 7
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 33
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 22
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 330
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 4
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 2200
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 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1272
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jul 15 1995 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1407
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 7 2000 4:24PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N8085F
NTSB Number ATL95LA136
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed VFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CESSNA
Aircraft Model 150F
Aircraft Series Identifier 150F
Aircraft Serial Number 15064185
Certified Max Gross Weight 1600
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 2
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Jun 30 1995 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 1949
ELT Installed Unknown
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name PIGEON MOUNTAIN FLYING SERVICE
Aircraft Owner Street Address 499 GASQUE DRIVE
Aircraft Owner City LAFAYETTE
Aircraft Owner State GA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 30728
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) Instructional
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code 9A5
Departure City LAFAYETTE
Departure State GA
Departure Country
Departure Time 745
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code MSL
Destination City MUSCLE SHOALS
Destination State AL
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Maneuvering
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 --