Cartersville Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Cartersville, Georgia 30120
Sunday, October 15, 1995 15:15 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The private pilot stated that the engine lost power due to fuel starvation, because the transfer pump was inoperative and he could only utilize the fuel in the header tank. He stated to the FAA inspector that the fuel pump had failed earlier in the day. He refueled his fuselage tank and did some touch-and-go landings. He then headed towards another destination to refuel and the engine lost power and he executed a forced landing to a field. During the final approach the nose wheel clipped a barbed wire fence which drove a fence post into each wing and spun the airplane around. The airplane then slid approximately 30 yards into a four foot ditch damaging the engine and the airframe.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND'S DECISION TO CONTINUE FLIGHT WITH THE INOPERATIVE FUEL TRANSFER PUMP WHICH RESULTED IN LOSS OF ENGINE POWER DUE TO FUEL STARVATION. THE INOPERATIVE FUEL TRANSFER PUMP AND THE UNSUITABLE TERRAIN ENCOUNTERED DURING THE FORCED LANDING WERE FACTORS.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 10/15/1995
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1515
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City CARTERSVILLE
Event State GEORGIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 30120
Event Date Year 1995
Event Date Month 10
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport CARTERSVILLE
Event Location Nearest Airport ID VPC
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 Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1456 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID MCN
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
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) 1
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 310
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 11
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
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 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) 1331
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Oct 14 1995 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1630
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 7 2000 4:40PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N3027G
NTSB Number MIA96LA007
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 FORNEY
Aircraft Model ERCOUPE-2
Aircraft Series Identifier ERCOUPE-2
Aircraft Serial Number 5722
Certified Max Gross Weight 1400
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 Oct 6 1994 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 74
Airframe Hours 2064
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name DANE T VELIE
Aircraft Owner Street Address 4762 QUAIL HUNT CT.
Aircraft Owner City POWDER SPRINGS
Aircraft Owner State GA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 30073
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) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code 4A4
Departure City CEDARTOWN
Departure State GA
Departure Country
Departure Time 1445
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code VPC
Destination City CARTERVILLE
Destination State GA
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 --