Private Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Lincolnton, Georgia 30817
Saturday, April 26, 1997 10:30 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot reported that, he checked the fuel gauges before attempting the takeoff, and thought there was enough fuel to complete the spraying operation. The pilot stated that after liftoff from the private airstrip, the airplane lost engine power. The airplane collided with utility lines approximately 100 feet from the departure end of runway 27. During the examination of the airplane, no fuel was recovered from the fuel system. The pilot did not report a mechanical problem with the airplane.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's inadequate preflight planning of the fuel requirement for this flight that resulted in fuel exhaustion and the subsequent loss of engine power.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 4/26/1997
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1030
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City LINCOLNTON
Event State GEORGIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 30817
Event Date Year 1997
Event Date Month 4
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport PRIVATE
Event Location Nearest Airport ID NONE
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 270
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1053 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 155
Weather Observation Facility ID AGS
Elevation of weather observation facility 145
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 35
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 100
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
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) 16
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 10
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 30
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 3
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 695
Intensity of Precipitation Light
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) 461
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Apr 26 1997 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1827
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 8 2000 12:12PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N8473V
NTSB Number ATL97LA063
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 137: Agricultural
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Rockwell
Aircraft Model S-2R
Aircraft Series Identifier S-2R
Aircraft Serial Number 2233R
Certified Max Gross Weight 6000
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 Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Jan 25 1997 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 50
Airframe Hours 5940
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name JAMES P. WIMBERLY
Aircraft Owner Street Address RT 1. BOX 2210
Aircraft Owner City COCHRAN
Aircraft Owner State GA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 31014
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 Agriculture
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not Unknown
Indicates Domestic or International Flight Unknown
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail Unknown
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Aerial Application
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code NONE
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 0
Departure Time Zone
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Takeoff
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 27
Runway Length 4000
Runway Width 50
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --