Bowman Field Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Louisville, Kentucky 40205
Friday, January 12, 1996 8:20 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot stated that as he neared the destination airport, the right fuel tank ran out of fuel, so he switched to the left tank. He stated that the left fuel quantity gage indicated that it contained about 1/4 tank of fuel. The pilot reported that when the airplane was about 2-1/2 miles from the destination airport, the engine sputtered and lost power. The pilot's attempts to restart the engine were unsuccessful, and he made a forced landing in a residential area about 1/2 mile from the approach end of the runway. The pilot stated that due to traffic and the length of the streets, he was unable to maintain normal glide speed until touchdown. Subsequently, the airplane impacted on a roadway and skidded into a tree. The pilot attributed the accident to fuel exhaustion. Postaccident examination revealed no evidence of usable fuel in the airplane fuel system. No fuel odor or fuel stains were noted at the accident site. Visual inspection of the fuel system revealed no indication of a preimpact mechanical failure, and the aircraft maintenance logs '. . . revealed no past discrepancies involving the fuel system.'

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

the pilot's misjudgment of the fuel supply, which resulted in a loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion during final approach to the destination airport. Factors relating to the accident were: terrain conditions and vehicles in the emergency landing area.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 1/12/1996
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 820
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City LOUISVILLE
Event State KENTUCKY
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 40205
Event Date Year 1996
Event Date Month 1
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport BOWMAN FIELD
Event Location Nearest Airport ID LOU
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 1
Degrees magnetic from airport 140
Airport Elevation 547
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 830 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID LOU
Elevation of weather observation facility 547
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation EST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 1400
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 6
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) -3
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -6
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 320
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 11
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 Serious
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1252
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jan 12 1996 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 858
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 8 2000 9:46AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N5218A
NTSB Number BFO96LA036
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Cessna
Aircraft Model T210N
Aircraft Series Identifier T210N
Aircraft Serial Number T21063313
Certified Max Gross Weight 4000
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 Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name PROMPTAIR, INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 5300 W. 63RD STREET
Aircraft Owner City CHICAGO
Aircraft Owner State IL
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 60638
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 Non-scheduled
Indicates Domestic or International Flight Domestic
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail Cargo
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Unknown
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code CHA
Departure City CHATTANOOGA
Departure State TN
Departure Country
Departure Time 652
Departure Time Zone EST
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code LOU
Destination City
Destination State KY
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Emergency landing
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 32
Runway Length 3539
Runway Width 80
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --