Griffin-Spalding County Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Griffin, Georgia 30223
Saturday, December 4, 1993 10:45 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

WHILE MANEUVERING THE AIRPLANE FOR A 45 DEGREE ENTRY INTO THE TRAFFIC PATTERN, THE ENGINE LOST POWER. AFTER AN UNSUCCESSFUL ATTEMPT TO RESTART THE ENGINE, THE PILOT SELECTED AN OPEN FIELD FOR AN EMERGENCY LANDING. ON LANDING ROLL, THE PILOT INTENTIONALLY SWERVED AND HIT A TREE WITH THE LEFT WING TO AVOID COLLIDING WITH A HOUSE AT THE END OF THE FIELD. POST ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION OF THE AIRPLANE REVEALED THAT THE FUEL TANK VENT SYSTEM WAS COMPLETELY BLOCKED BY AN INSECT NEST INSIDE THE VENT.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

FUEL STARVATION CAUSED BY FOREIGN MATTER BLOCKAGE OF THE FUEL TANK VENT SYSTEM.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 12/4/1993
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1045
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City GRIFFIN
Event State GEORGIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 30223
Event Date Year 1993
Event Date Month 12
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport GRIFFIN-SPALDING COUNTY
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 6A2
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 2
Degrees magnetic from airport 85
Airport Elevation 958
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1052 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 160
Weather Observation Facility ID ATL
Elevation of weather observation facility 1026
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 25
Time Zone of the weather observation EST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 10000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 1500
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) 20
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 18
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 14
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 160
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 14
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) 1000
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 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2098
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Dec 4 1993 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1230
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 1:47PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N4092J
NTSB Number ATL94LA026
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 CESSNA
Aircraft Model 150
Aircraft Series Identifier 150
Aircraft Serial Number 150-65392
Certified Max Gross Weight 1600
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 2
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Aug 20 1993 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 55
Airframe Hours 5045
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name QUICKTRIP INCORPORATED
Aircraft Owner Street Address 44 NORTH MCDONOUGH ROAD
Aircraft Owner City GRIFFIN
Aircraft Owner State GA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 30223
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name THRASHER, ALBERT A.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 44 N. MCDONOUGH RD.
Operator City GRIFFIN
Operator State GA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 30223
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) Instructional
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 930
Departure Time Zone EST
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Maneuvering
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 13
Runway Length 3301
Runway Width 75
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --