Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Ashton, Maryland 20861
Sunday, June 16, 1996 18:45 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot stated that he departed from the airplane's home base airport with about 9 gallons of fuel. The flight to Kent Island took about 45 minutes. He estimated that when he departed Kent Island to return to the home base the fuel tanks held about 5 gallons of fuel. About 40 minutes after they departed Kent Island, and about 5 miles from the destination airport, the engine lost power. The pilot stated that he chose a field to land in, but in order to avoid livestock and power lines, he '...aimed the airplane to a spot just past the middle of the field.' The airplane stuck a small wire fence with the right main landing gear. The pilot stated that the cause of the loss of engine power was fuel exhaustion.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

the pilot's inadequate fuel supply which resulted in a fuel exhaustion and a loss of engine power. A related factor was the pilot's inadequate fuel consumption calculations.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 6/16/1996
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1845
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City ASHTON
Event State MARYLAND
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 20861
Event Date Year 1996
Event Date Month 6
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) 27
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 16
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 250
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 2
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 2
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 482
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jun 18 1996 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 930
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 8 2000 10:04AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N58379
NTSB Number IAD96LA097
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 Piper
Aircraft Model J-3
Aircraft Series Identifier J-3
Aircraft Serial Number 8473
Certified Max Gross Weight 1170
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 1 1995 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 13
Airframe Hours 5628
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name PAILLE, MINA A.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 7200 HAWKINS CREAMERY ROAD
Aircraft Owner City LAYTONSVILLE
Aircraft Owner State MD
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 20882
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 3W3
Departure City KENT ISLAND
Departure State MD
Departure Country
Departure Time 1805
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code W50
Destination City LAYTONSVILLE
Destination State MD
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight --
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 --