Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Calhoun, Georgia 30701
Thursday, February 27, 1997 2:50 EST
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The copilot stated the PIC had requested a lower altitude and switched the fuel tanks from the main fuel tank to the auxiliary fuel tank position. The engines sputtered, and they switched back to the main fuel position. The PIC informed ATC, 'sir we are running out of fuel now.' A witness heard the engines sputter and saw the airplane approaching his position at tree top level. The airplane made a left turn followed by a steep bank to the right and disappeared from view below the tree line. Examination of the crash site revealed the left fuel selector was in the main fuel position. The right fuel selector was found loosely in-between the auxiliary and main fuel position. Disassembly of both engines revealed no evidence of a precrash mechanical failure or malfunction. Examination of the left propeller revealed it was operating under low power at impact, and was probably windmilling. The right propeller was operating under conditions of higher power at impact. Neither propeller was in the feather position or were in the vicinity of the low pitch stop at impact.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The pilot-in-command's improper fuel management and improper positioning of the fuel selector valve to the empty fuel tank. Factors in the accident were: the PIC's improper in-flight planning and decision, his failure to list an alternate airport, and his decision to allow the newly hired copilot to perform instrument approaches in marginal weather which led to numerous instrument approaches and missed approaches.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 2/27/1997 |
| Event Day of the Week | Thursday |
| Time of Event | 250 |
| Event Time Zone | Eastern Standard Time |
| Event City | CALHOUN |
| Event State | GEORGIA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 30701 |
| Event Date Year | 1997 |
| Event Date Month | 2 |
| 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 | Full |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 156 Eastern Standard Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 150 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | ATL |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 1026 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 58 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | EST |
| Lighting Conditions | Night/Dark |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | 100 |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | -- |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Unknown |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | Overcast |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | -- |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | -- |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 0.4 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 13 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 13 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 110 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 5 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 29 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| 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 | 2 |
| Injury Total All | 2 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 236 |
| NTSB Notification Source | -- |
| NTSB Notification Date | Feb 27 1997 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 350 |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | IMAGE |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jun 17 2002 3:11PM |
| User who most recently changed record | NTSB\HAMG |
| Basic weather conditions | Instrument Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N72GL |
| NTSB Number | MIA97LA087 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | N |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | IFR |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | -- |
| Damage | Destroyed |
| Aircraft Fire | Ground |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | Cessna |
| Aircraft Model | 310R |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | 310R |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 310R0155 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 5500 |
| 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 | 2 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Retractable |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | Annual |
| Date of Last Inspection | Feb 1 1997 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 71 |
| Airframe Hours | 23344 |
| ELT Installed | Unknown |
| ELT Activated | Unknown |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | Unknown |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | SMITHKLINE BEECHMAN CLIN LAB |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 850 AIRPORT ROAD |
| Aircraft Owner City | LAWRENCEVILLE |
| Aircraft Owner State | GA |
| Aircraft Owner Country | |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 30245 |
| 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) | Executive/Corporate |
| Second Pilot on Board | Yes |
| Departure Point Same as Event | No |
| Departure Airport Code | NEW |
| Departure City | NEW ORLEANS |
| Departure State | LA |
| Departure Country | |
| Departure Time | 2226 |
| Departure Time Zone | CST |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | -- |
| Destination Airport Code | LZU |
| Destination City | LAWRENCEVILLE |
| Destination State | GA |
| Destination Country | |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Descent |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jun 17 2002 3:11PM |
| User who most recently changed record | NTSB\HAMG |
| 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 | -- |