Bountiful Skypark Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Bountiful, Utah 84010
Sunday, August 10, 1997 14:00 MDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot reported that while on the downwind leg, the engine lost power, quit, then restarted. The pilot tried unsuccessfully to switch fuel tanks, and when the airplane turned onto the base leg, the engine quit again. The pilot stated that he could not make the runway and turned toward an open field. Just prior to touchdown, the engine regained power, and the pilot turned back toward the runway. The engine quit again and the airplane struck an empty tanker truck which severed the right wing from the fuselage. Postcrash investigation revealed that there was no evidence of a fuel spill or fuel smell around the right wing. There was no fuel in the fuel line to the carburetor and the carburetor fuel bowl contained less than one tablespoon of fuel. The left wing contained approximately 15 gallons of fuel in the fuel tank. After the wreckage was retrieved, the engine was prepared for an engine run. Fuel was supplied via the left wing. The fuel pump was activated and the engine was started. The engine ran smoothly for three minutes before it was shut down. Both fuel and oil pressure gages were indicating in the normal range.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's inadequate fuel management which resulted in fuel starvation.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/10/1997
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1400
Event Time Zone Mountain Daylight Time
Event City BOUNTIFUL
Event State UTAH
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 84010
Event Date Year 1997
Event Date Month 8
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport BOUNTIFUL SKYPARK
Event Location Nearest Airport ID BTF
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 340
Airport Elevation 4234
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1350 Mountain Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 197
Weather Observation Facility ID SLC
Elevation of weather observation facility 1350
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 5
Time Zone of the weather observation MDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 10000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Unknown
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 20
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 28
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 13
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 170
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 16
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
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 1
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1038
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Aug 10 1997 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1555
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 8 2000 12:30PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N9666M
NTSB Number SEA97LA184
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 Mooney
Aircraft Model M20C
Aircraft Series Identifier M20C
Aircraft Serial Number 670002
Certified Max Gross Weight 2575
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 Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection May 6 1997 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 30
Airframe Hours 2160
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name EDWARD M. GARRETT
Aircraft Owner Street Address 1552 N. 200 W.
Aircraft Owner City BOUNTIFUL
Aircraft Owner State UT
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 84010
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 Yes
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code PIC
Departure City POCATELLO
Departure State ID
Departure Country
Departure Time 1320
Departure Time Zone MDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Approach
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:30AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 16
Runway Length 4700
Runway Width 70
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --