Craig Municipal Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Jacksonville, Florida 32225
Thursday, July 2, 1998 14:49 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot stated he had 1.5 to 2 hours of fuel available for the day. He flew to St. Augustine, had a private pilot checkride, and was returning to Jacksonville. He estimated the checkride took 45 minutes. According to the pilot, he was on final to runway 23 when the engine quit. He initiated emergency procedures by putting the mixture to rich and switching fuel tanks. The airplane struck the trees and the ground. The wreckage was examined, with no fuel found in the intact left fuel tank. There was fuel in the right tank. The pilot stated he had 96 hours of total flight time.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's failure to manage his fuel properly leading to fuel starvation, a loss of engine power, and the collision with trees and the ground. A factor was his lack of total experience.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/2/1998
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 1449
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City JACKSONVILLE
Event State FLORIDA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 32225
Event Date Year 1998
Event Date Month 7
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport CRAIG MUNICIPAL
Event Location Nearest Airport ID CRG
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 1
Degrees magnetic from airport 50
Airport Elevation 42
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1453 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 230
Weather Observation Facility ID CRG
Elevation of weather observation facility 42
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 1
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) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 37
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 21
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 230
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 12
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 17
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) 2800
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 --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 376
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jul 2 1998 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1449
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Feb 16 2001 11:54AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N9011J
NTSB Number ATL98LA088
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 28-3037
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 Mar 17 1998 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 2996
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name TIM TAYLOR
Aircraft Owner Street Address 1009 12TH STREET NORTH
Aircraft Owner City JACKSONVILLE
Aircraft Owner State FL
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 32225
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 SGJ
Departure City ST AUGUSTINE
Departure State FL
Departure Country
Departure Time 1450
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code CRG
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Feb 20 2001 6:29PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 23
Runway Length 4001
Runway Width 100
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --