Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Dougherty, Texas 79231
Friday, May 14, 1993 17:57 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

RECORDS INDICATED THE AIRPLANE CONTAINED 48 GALLONS OF USABLE FUEL AND WAS SUBSEQUENTLY FLOWN FOR 2.3 HOURS BY ANOTHER PILOT. PRIOR TO DEPARTURE FOR THE CROSS COUNTRY FLIGHT, THE PRIVATE PILOT PERFORMED A PREFLIGHT AND DID NOT REFUEL THE AIRPLANE. PERFORMANCE DATA REVIEW INDICATED A FUEL CONSUMPTION OF 10 GALLONS PER HOUR. TOTAL FLIGHT TIME WITHOUT REFUELING WAS 4.6 HOURS. AT THE ACCIDENT SITE, APPROXIMATELY 21 OUNCES OF FUEL REMAINED IN EACH WING TANK AND 3 OUNCES IN THE FUEL GASCOLATOR. THE RIGHT MAIN LANDING GEAR COLLAPSED AS THE AIRPLANE IMPACTED PLOWED FURROWS

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

FUEL EXHAUSTION POWER LOSS DUE TO REFUELING NOT PERFORMED BY THE PILOT. A FACTOR WAS LACK OF SUITABLE TERRAIN

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/14/1993
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1757
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City DOUGHERTY
Event State TEXAS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 79231
Event Date Year 1993
Event Date Month 5
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 Full
Investigator's weather source Pilot
Time of the weather observation 0
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation
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) 20
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 27
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 360
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 10
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 4
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 237
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date May 15 1993 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1530
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 50389
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 1:19PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N39663
NTSB Number FTW93LA155
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed VFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-28-181
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-28-181
Aircraft Serial Number 28-7990002
Certified Max Gross Weight 2550
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 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Apr 29 1993 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 22
Airframe Hours 1820
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name TAILWIND AVIATION, INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 1314 MISSION ST.
Aircraft Owner City DUNCANVILLE
Aircraft Owner State TX
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 75137
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name FLIGHT DYNAMICS, INC.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address ARLINGTON AIRPORT SUITE 22
Operator City ARLINGTON
Operator State TX
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 76010
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 Yes
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code ARL
Departure City ARLINGTON
Departure State TX
Departure Country
Departure Time 1540
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code PVW
Destination City PLAINVIEW
Destination State TX
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:30AM
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 --