Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Dyer, Tennessee 38330
Saturday, September 23, 1995 18:45 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT WAS MANEUVERING ON A SWATH RUN AT ABOUT 100 TO 140 FEET AGL WHEN THE AIRPLANE EXPERIENCED A TOTAL LOSS OF ENGINE POWER. DURING THE FORCED LANDING THE AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH TREES AND CRASHED IN A CORN FIELD. BEFORE THE FLIGHT THIRTY-FIVE GALLONS OF FUEL WAS ADDED TO THE LEFT FUEL TANK. NO FUEL WAS ADDED TO THE RIGHT FUEL TANK. THE AIRPLANE FLEW 25 MINUTES, LANDED, DEPARTED 5 MINUTES LATER, AND FLEW AN ADDITIONAL 20 MINUTES BEFORE THE ENGINE QUIT. EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE ASSEMBLY AND ACCESSORIES BY THE FAA REVEALED NO EVIDENCE OF A PRECRASH FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION. FOUR OR FIVE DROPS OF FUEL WAS PRESENT IN THE CARBURETOR BOWL. NO FUEL WAS PRESENT IN THE ENGINE DRIVEN FUEL PUMP, AIRFRAME FUEL VALVE, FUEL MANIFOLD OR WOBBLE PUMP.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND'S FAILURE TO PROPERLY MANAGE THE FUEL REQUIRED FOR THE FLIGHT, RESULTING IN A TOTAL LOSS OF ENGINE POWER DUE TO FUEL EXHAUSTION AND SUBSEQUENT IN FLIGHT COLLISION WITH TREES AND TERRAIN.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/23/1995
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1845
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City DYER
Event State TENNESSEE
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 38330
Event Date Year 1995
Event Date Month 9
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 1753 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID UCY
Elevation of weather observation facility 341
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) 20
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 18
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 5
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 20
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 6
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 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 937
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Sep 23 1995 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1815
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 7 2000 4:36PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N5095S
NTSB Number MIA95LA233
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 137: Agricultural
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name AIR TRACTOR
Aircraft Model 301
Aircraft Series Identifier 301
Aircraft Serial Number 301-0118
Certified Max Gross Weight 5000
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 1
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name LARRY B. RUSSELL
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 426
Aircraft Owner City UNION CITY
Aircraft Owner State TN
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 38261
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 Unknown
Indicates Domestic or International Flight Unknown
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail Unknown
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Aerial Application
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code UCY
Departure City UNION CITY
Departure State TN
Departure Country
Departure Time 1825
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 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 --