Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Stevensville, Michigan 49127
Saturday, July 18, 1998 19:30 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot said that he was in cruise flight approximately 500 feet above the ground when the engine rpm began slowly decreasing. The pilot initiated a climb at full power, turned on the back-up battery, and applied carburetor heat. There was no change in engine rpm. The pilot planned to land on a road adjacent to a corn field. At the time, there were no people or cars in sight. While turning from base leg to final, 'the plane started stalling.' The pilot pushed the control stick forward to get the nose down. It was at that time that the engine lost all power. The pilot said that he was unable to get full control of the airplane back. The airplane impacted between the road and the corn field. Examination of the airplane's fuel system and engine revealed no evidence of fuel. No other anomalies with the airplane were revealed.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's inadequate preflight planning and preparation which resulted in fuel exhaustion and subsequent loss of engine power.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/18/1998
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1930
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City STEVENSVILLE
Event State MICHIGAN
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 49127
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
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 Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1953 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 25
Weather Observation Facility ID BEH
Elevation of weather observation facility 643
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 7
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) 26
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 17
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 330
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 3
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) 2217
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) 508
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Aug 6 1998 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1114
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Feb 16 2001 11:55AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N40512
NTSB Number CHI98LA303
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 Cook
Aircraft Model TEENIE TWO
Aircraft Series Identifier TEENIE TWO
Aircraft Serial Number C001
Certified Max Gross Weight 601
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? Yes
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 --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 55
ELT Installed Unknown
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name ANDREW SCOTT COOK
Aircraft Owner Street Address 902 S. BELL STREET
Aircraft Owner City KOKOMO
Aircraft Owner State IN
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 46901
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name ROBERT F. GAISER
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 1841 SHAWNEE
Operator City BARODA
Operator State MI
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 49101
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 C20
Departure City BERRIEN SPRINGS
Departure State MI
Departure Country
Departure Time 1910
Departure Time Zone EDT
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 --
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 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --