Spencer Municipal Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Spencer, Iowa 51301
Sunday, September 19, 1993 21:30 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

FUEL IN THE RIGHT FUEL TANK WAS EXHAUSTED DURING AN ILS TO RUNWAY 12. A LOSS OF POWER ON THE RIGHT ENGINE RESULTED. THE AIRPLANE TOUCHED DOWN IN ROUGH TERRAIN APPROXIMATELY 1,000 FEET SHORT OF THE RUNWAY. THE PILOT STATED HE FAILED TO SWITCH FUEL TANKS.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

the pilot's to switch fuel tanks which resulted in fuel starvation. A factor related to the accident was the rough terrain on which the airplane was landed.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/19/1993
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 2130
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City SPENCER
Event State IOWA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 51301
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 SPENCER MUNICIPAL
Event Location Nearest Airport ID SPW
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 1338
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 2150 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID 3SE
Elevation of weather observation facility 1340
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 1500
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 1500
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Obscured
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) 14
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 14
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 180
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 7
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
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 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 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1325
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Sep 23 1993 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 920
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 Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N5309Y
NTSB Number CHI93LA375
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-23-250
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-23-250
Aircraft Serial Number 27-2382
Certified Max Gross Weight 4800
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 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Aug 21 1993 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 31073
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name EMMETSBURG MEDICAL CLINIC
Aircraft Owner Street Address 2705 MAIN ST., BOX 93
Aircraft Owner City EMMETSBURG
Aircraft Owner State IA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 50536
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name ROBERT L. COZINE
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 2705 MAIN ST, BOX 93
Operator City EMMETSBURG
Operator State IA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 50536
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) Business
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code PDC
Departure City PRARIE DU CHIEN
Departure State WI
Departure Country
Departure Time 2000
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code SPW
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 10:34AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 12
Runway Length 5000
Runway Width 100
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --