Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Flushing, Michigan 48433
Wednesday, August 7, 1996 13:22 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The airplane flipped over during a forced landing in a bean field, following a total loss of engine power. Postflight examination revealed that the right wing tank was full of fuel, and the left wing tank was empty. The fuel valve selector was found selected to the left wing tank. Both wing tanks use vented fuel caps, and are routed to a single fuel valve. During a engine run up following the accident no abnormalities with the airplane's engine were noted.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

fuel exhaustion caused by the failure of the pilot to select a fuel tank with fuel remaining.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/7/1996
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 1322
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City FLUSHING
Event State MICHIGAN
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 48433
Event Date Year 1996
Event Date Month 8
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 1125 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID FNT
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) 9
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 31
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 21
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 210
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 13
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 16
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) 874
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Aug 7 1996 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1617
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 8 2000 10:16AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N7245D
NTSB Number CHI96LA276
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-22
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-22
Aircraft Serial Number 22-5071
Certified Max Gross Weight 2000
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 --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Yes
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name FARTHER JOHN 77 FLYING CLUB
Aircraft Owner Street Address 3701 GRATIOT AVE
Aircraft Owner City FLINT
Aircraft Owner State MI
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 48503
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 50G
Departure City CHESANING
Departure State MI
Departure Country
Departure Time 1050
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code 3DA
Destination City
Destination State MI
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Approach
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 --