Valdosta Regional Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Jasper, Florida 32052
Sunday, June 9, 1996 8:56 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

Before takeoff 15 gallons of fuel were added to the less-than-full fuel tanks. The flight departed and while en route the engine quit. The pilot then repositioned the fuel selector and the engine regained power. The flight continued and the engine quit again. The pilot performed a forced landing in a corn field and the airplane came to rest upright. Examination of the airplane revealed that the left and right fuel tanks were not damaged and contained 12 ounces and 55 ounces of fuel respectively. Staining aft of each wing fuel tank cap was not observed. The pilot stated that for fuel consumption calculations he planned on 8 gallons per hour. The pilot's operating handbook indicates that the fuel consumption for the power, and altitude flown is 10 gallons per hour.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

the pilot's inaccurate fuel consumption calculations which resulted in a total loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion. Contributing to the accident was the unsuitable terrain encountered during the forced landing.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 6/9/1996
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 856
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City JASPER
Event State FLORIDA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 32052
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 VALDOSTA REGIONAL
Event Location Nearest Airport ID VLD
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 21
Degrees magnetic from airport 146
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Full
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 850 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 326
Weather Observation Facility ID VLD
Elevation of weather observation facility 204
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 21
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 7000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 1500
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 8
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 23
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 23
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 200
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) 29
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 1
Injury Total None 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1198
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jun 9 1996 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 958
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 8 2000 10:05AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N9640J
NTSB Number MIA96LA154
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 PA-28-180
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-28-180
Aircraft Serial Number 28-3864
Certified Max Gross Weight 2400
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 4
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Aug 11 1995 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 81
Airframe Hours 6303
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Yes
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name ROBERT BEGGS
Aircraft Owner Street Address RT 5 BOX 545
Aircraft Owner City TIFTON
Aircraft Owner State GA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 31794
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name INTERSTATE AIRCRAFT SERVICES
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address RT 2 BOX 175
Operator City ADEL
Operator State GA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 31620
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 LAL
Departure City LAKELAND
Departure State FL
Departure Country
Departure Time 732
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code VLD
Destination City VALDOSTA
Destination State GA
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 --