Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27514
Saturday, August 29, 1998 10:10 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot estimated he departed with about 18 gallons of usable fuel and that the engine uses about 9 gallons per hour. While on final approach to his destination the engine quit. Attempts to restart the engine were unsuccessful and a forced landing was made in a wooded area. Postcrash examination of the aircraft by FAA inspectors showed the aircraft did not contain any usable fuel and that there was no evidence of fuel leakage from the aircraft after the accident or in flight before the accident.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The failure of the pilot to ensure the aircraft contained adequate fuel to complete the flight resulting in loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/29/1998
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1010
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City CHAPEL HILL
Event State NORTH CAROLINA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 27514
Event Date Year 1998
Event Date Month 8
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 Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 951 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 95
Weather Observation Facility ID RDU
Elevation of weather observation facility 436
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 12
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 25000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 3
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 28
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 23
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 230
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 5
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) 1500
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) 1006
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Aug 29 1998 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1235
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Apr 21 2001 4:05AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N144KT
NTSB Number MIA98LA231
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 Bibb
Aircraft Model RV-4
Aircraft Series Identifier RV-4
Aircraft Serial Number 1187
Certified Max Gross Weight 1500
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 2
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Jul 28 1998 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 28
Airframe Hours 158
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name RICHARD E. BIBB
Aircraft Owner Street Address 3158 MARY ETTA LANE
Aircraft Owner City OAK HILL
Aircraft Owner State VA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 20171
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 HEF
Departure City MANASSAS
Departure State VA
Departure Country
Departure Time 850
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code IGX
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Approach
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Apr 21 2001 4:05AM
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 --