Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Plano, Texas 75074
Saturday, March 6, 1993 19:15 CST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT HAD FLOWN APPROXIMATELY 2.65 HOURS AND WAS RETURNING TO THE AIRPORT WHERE HE HAD RENTED THE AIRPLANE WHEN A POWER LOSS OCCURRED. HE STATED THAT HE SWITCHED FUEL TANKS AND THE ENGINE MOMENTARILY RESTARTED THEN QUIT AGAIN. THE AIRPLANE'S RECORDED ALTITUDE WAS 2,500 FEET MEAN SEA LEVEL WHEN THE ENGINE STOPPED. DURING THE EMERGENCY DESCENT HE MANEUVERED OVER POWERLINES THEN LANDED IN AN OPEN FIELD. THE AIRPLANE STRUCK A DIRT MOUND AND A CEMENT CULVERT. THE LEFT FUEL TANK WAS FOUND EMPTY. THE RIGHT FUEL TANK WAS FULL, BUT LEAKED DURING THE NIGHT UNTIL THE RECOVERY TEAM ARRIVED. ELEVEN GALLONS OF FUEL WAS DRAINED FROM THE RIGHT TANK. THE ENGINE WAS TEST RUN USING THE FUEL FROM THE RIGHT TANK. NO ANOMALIES WERE NOTED TO THE ENGINE. DARK NIGHT CONDITIONS PREVAILED

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

FUEL STARVATION INDUCED POWER LOSS RESULTANT FROM FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO SWITCH THE FUEL SELECTOR TO THE PROPER FUEL TANK. FACTORS WERE THE DARK NIGHT CONDITIONS AND LACK OF SUITABLE TERRAIN FOR A FORCED LANDING

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 3/6/1993
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1915
Event Time Zone Central Standard Time
Event City PLANO
Event State TEXAS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 75074
Event Date Year 1993
Event Date Month 3
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 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1915 Central Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 265
Weather Observation Facility ID ADS
Elevation of weather observation facility 643
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 10
Time Zone of the weather observation CST
Lighting Conditions Night/Dark
Lowest Ceiling Height 20000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 10000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 13
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 12
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 4
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 310
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 5
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
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 3
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 3
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 516
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Mar 6 1993 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1930
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 50822
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 1:11PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N6088S
NTSB Number FTW93LA097
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 BEECH
Aircraft Model A36
Aircraft Series Identifier A36
Aircraft Serial Number E-785
Certified Max Gross Weight 3600
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 6
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Nov 11 1992 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 66
Airframe Hours 4649
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name ATKINS, JACK F.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 137 CAMINO ROBLES
Aircraft Owner City GUN BARREL CITY
Aircraft Owner State TX
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 75174
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name CENTERLINE AVIATION, INC.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 5419 SATURN DR.
Operator City ADDISON
Operator State TX
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 75001
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 MSA
Departure City MT. PLEASANT
Departure State TX
Departure Country
Departure Time 1830
Departure Time Zone CST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code ADS
Destination City ADDISON
Destination State TX
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Cruise
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 --