Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Millville, New Jersey 08332
Saturday, June 19, 1993 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT STATED HE DID NOT VISUALLY CHECK THE FUEL IN THE TANK PRIOR TO DEPARTURE, BUT INSTEAD HE READ THE SIGHT GAGE ON THE FUEL CAP, WHICH INDICATED 7/8 FULL. HE SAID THAT THE ENGINE QUIT AFTER 15 MILES. THE PILOT TOLD A RESCUE PERSON THAT HE BECAME LOST AFTER TAKEOFF BECAUSE OF LOW CLOUDS AND AN OLD MAP. HE SAID THAT HE RAN LOW ON FUEL, AND WHEN HE DID FIND THE AIRPORT, THE ENGINE QUIT BEFORE HE WAS ABLE TO LAND. NO FUEL WAS FOUND AT THE ACCIDENT SITE, NOR WAS THERE ANY EVIDENCE OF FUEL IN THE ENGINE. AN EXAMINATION OF THE AIRPLANE AND THE ENGINE REVEALED NO DISCREPANCIES.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's inflight planning which resulted in fuel exhaustion. A factor was inadequate preflight planning.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 6/19/1993
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 0
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City MILLVILLE
Event State NEW JERSEY
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 08332
Event Date Year 1993
Event Date Month 6
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 850 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID MI
Elevation of weather observation facility 83
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 200
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Partial Obscuration
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 2
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 29
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 22
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 270
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) 30
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal 1
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 972
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jun 19 1993 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1840
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 1:24PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N390BG
NTSB Number NYC93LA122
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name SMITRVICH STARDUSTER
Aircraft Model SA-300A
Aircraft Series Identifier SA-300A
Aircraft Serial Number 156
Certified Max Gross Weight 2100
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 Mar 20 1993 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 40
Airframe Hours 70
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name LAWRENCE R. WINCHELL, III
Aircraft Owner Street Address 11 MILL ST, BOX 320
Aircraft Owner City PORT REPUBLIC
Aircraft Owner State NJ
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 08241
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
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 Yes
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code WWD
Departure City WILDWOOD
Departure State NJ
Departure Country
Departure Time 930
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Approach
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 --