Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Knoxville, Tennessee 37901
Saturday, December 26, 1998 14:36 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

While approaching his destination airport, the pilot switched to the right fuel tank, believing he had 40 minutes of fuel remaining in each tank. About 10 minutes later, the fuel pressure dropped and the engine lost power. The pilot switched back to left fuel tank and the engine restarted. The pilot asked for priority handling from ATC and as he approached the airport, the engine quit. He made a forced landing in a residential area. Post crash examination showed the aircraft contained no usable fuel and there was no evidence of fuel leakage from the aircraft in flight or after the accident. Examination of the engine showed no evidence of precrash mechanical failure or malfunction. The carburetor throat did have dark staining consistent with operating with a rich fuel mixture. The pilot stated the flight departed with 48 gallons of fuel. The flight had flown 4.7 hours since departure at the time of engine failure, indicating a fuel consumption of about 10.1 gallons of fuel per hour. The pilot stated the engine normally consumed 9 gallons of fuel per hour and he leans the fuel mixture in cruise flight in accordance with the manufacturers procedures.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The engines excessive fuel consumption for undetermined reasons and the pilot's failure to plan the flight with adequate fuel reserves resulting in engine failure due to fuel exhaustion.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 12/26/1998
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1436
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City KNOXVILLE
Event State TENNESSEE
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 37901
Event Date Year 1998
Event Date Month 12
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 Full
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1453 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 45
Weather Observation Facility ID TYS
Elevation of weather observation facility 981
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 1
Time Zone of the weather observation EST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 1800
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 7
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 3
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -1
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Variable
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) 0
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 --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 2
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1466
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Dec 26 1998 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1530
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Feb 23 2001 1:57PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N32679
NTSB Number MIA99LA058
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
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 28-7505082
Certified Max Gross Weight 2450
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 Aug 17 1998 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 111
Airframe Hours 3500
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name JKJ AVIATION LLC
Aircraft Owner Street Address 908 BRIARCLIFF ROAD
Aircraft Owner City JACKSON
Aircraft Owner State MI
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 49203
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name DAREL E. MORGAN
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 3007 PAGE AVE.
Operator City JACKSON
Operator State MI
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 49203
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 ORL
Departure City ORLANDO
Departure State FL
Departure Country
Departure Time 954
Departure Time Zone EST
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code TYS
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Feb 23 2001 1:57PM
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 --