Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Oak Grove, Kentucky 42262
Saturday, September 4, 1993 20:16 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE 570 NAUTICAL MILES CROSS COUNTRY FLIGHT ORIGINATED FROM THE BLOOMSBURG MUNICIPAL AIRPORT IN BLOOMSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA, AND HAD A FINAL DESTINATION OF OUTLAW FIELD LOCATED IN CLARKSVILLE, TENNESSEE. THE PILOT STATED THAT A FEW MILES FROM OUTLAW FIELD, THE AIRPLANE'S ENGINE LOST TOTAL POWER AND AN EMERGENCY LANDING WAS MADE. POST-ACCIDENT EXAMINATION OF THE AIRFRAME AND ENGINE DID NOT REVEAL ANY ANOMALIES. THE RIGHT FUEL TANK WAS EMPTY AND THE LEFT FUEL TANK QUANTITY WAS MEASURED TO BE ABOUT ONE INCH DEEP. THE PILOT STATED THAT THERE WAS ABOUT 48 GALLONS OF FUEL ON BOARD PRIOR TO TAKEOFF. THE PILOT ALSO STATED, 'I MADE SOME REAL FUNDAMENTAL ERRORS IN FUEL CALCULATION, DISTANCE OF FLIGHT, [AND] TIME ZONE CHANGE. THE MOST SERIOUS ERROR I THINK WAS THE REFUSAL TO BELIEVE THAT I HAD RUN OUT OF FUEL.'

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT'S INNACURATE PREFLIGHT FUEL CONSUPTION CALCULATIONS AND INADEQUATE IN-FLIGHT PLANNING/DECISIONS, WHICH RESULTED IN FUEL EXHAUSTION AND SUBSEQUENT LOSS OF ENGINE POWER. A FACTOR RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WAS: HIGH OBSTRUCTIONS IN THE EMERGENCY LANDING AREA.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/4/1993
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 2016
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City OAK GROVE
Event State KENTUCKY
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 42262
Event Date Year 1993
Event Date Month 9
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 1956 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 290
Weather Observation Facility ID HOP
Elevation of weather observation facility 554
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 10
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 3000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
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) 24
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 14
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) 29
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 --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1600
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Sep 4 1993 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 2300
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 1:38PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N78992
NTSB Number BFO93LA157
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 MOONEY
Aircraft Model M20C
Aircraft Series Identifier M20C
Aircraft Serial Number 2026
Certified Max Gross Weight 2575
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 Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection May 1 1993 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 39
Airframe Hours 2291
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name DAVID W. CRISPELL
Aircraft Owner Street Address R.D. #1, BOX 405-A
Aircraft Owner City BERWICK
Aircraft Owner State PA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 18603
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name DAVID W. CRISPELL
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address R.D. #1, BOX 405-A
Operator City BERWICK
Operator State PA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 18603
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 N13
Departure City BLOOMSBURG
Departure State PA
Departure Country
Departure Time 1540
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code CKV
Destination City CLARKSVILLE
Destination State TN
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 --