Lovell Field Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Chattanooga, Tennessee 37411
Saturday, November 7, 1998 17:08 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot did not obtain a preflight weather briefing or determine the true airspeed for the 593 statute mile 2 leg cross country flight; he assumed indicated airspeed was the ground speed. The flight departed on the first leg with fuel tanks slightly less than full and arrived uneventfully 3.5 hours later. Fuel was not purchased and the flight departed on the second leg. While near the destination airport, the engine quit due to fuel exhaustion. At that time the fuel gauges each indicated approximately 2-3 gallons remaining. While descending for the forced landing, the airplane collided with trees then the ground. Examination of the airplane revealed no evidence of fuel leakage in flight. Approximately 4 ounces of fuel were drained from the carburetor and from the gascolator. Fuel lines in the engine compartment were empty. Approximately 1/2 ounce of fuel was drained from the right wing fuel tank. No engine failure or malfunction noted. The pilot further stated that during the entire flight time, the mixture control was in the full rich position. Fuel consumption calculations performed for the flight by FAA personnel revealed 47.79 gallons of fuel used out of a total of 48 gallons of usable fuel.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's inadequate in-flight planning/decision which led to fuel exhaustion.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 11/7/1998
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1708
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City CHATTANOOGA
Event State TENNESSEE
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 37411
Event Date Year 1998
Event Date Month 11
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport LOVELL FIELD
Event Location Nearest Airport ID CHA
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 3
Degrees magnetic from airport 239
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1705 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 59
Weather Observation Facility ID CHA
Elevation of weather observation facility 682
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 3
Time Zone of the weather observation EST
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) 14
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 0
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Calm
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
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 Minor
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 2
Injury Total None 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1627
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Nov 7 1998 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1754
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 11:53AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N44240
NTSB Number MIA99FA031
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-28-151
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-28-151
Aircraft Serial Number 28-7415607
Certified Max Gross Weight 2325
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 Sep 2 1998 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 98
Airframe Hours 5522
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name P & N CORP.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 1710 MARION AIRPORT RD.
Aircraft Owner City MARION
Aircraft Owner State IA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 52302
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 EVV
Departure City EVANSVILLE
Departure State IN
Departure Country
Departure Time 1349
Departure Time Zone CST
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code CHA
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight --
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 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --