Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Holly Springs, Mississippi 38635
Saturday, January 4, 1992 13:15 CST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT DEPARTED VFR FROM RESACA, GEORGIA, BETWEEN 1000-1015 EST TO HOLLY SPRINGS, MISSISSIPPI. NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. WITNESSES OBSERVED THE AIRPLANE AT 1315 CST ABOUT 30 FEET AGL ABOVE THE TREES. THE AIRPLANE WAS PROCEEDING IN THE DIRECTION OF THE HOLLY SPRINGS AIRPORT WITH THE ENGINE SPUTTERING. THE AIRPLANE MADE A RIGHT TURN AND LEVELED OUT. THE RIGHT WING DROPPED DOWN 90 DEGREES AND RETURNED BACK TO THE LEVEL POSITION. THE NOSE OF THE AIRPLANE PITCHED UP, THE RIGHT WING DROPPED DOWN, THE ENGINE QUIT, AND THE AIRPLANE DISAPPEARED BELOW THE TREE LINE AND COLLIDED WITH THE TERRAIN. EXAMINATION OF THE AIRFRAME, FLIGHT CONTROL SYSTEM, ENGINE ASSEMBLY, PROPELLER SYSTEM, AND ACCESSORIES REVEALED NO EVIDENCE OF PRECRASH MECHANICAL FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION. THE FUEL TANK WAS NOT RUPTURED AND NO FUEL WAS PRESENT IN THE FUEL TANK.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND'S IMPROPER MANAGEMENT OF FUEL. THIS RESULTED IN THE AIRPLANE EXPERIENCING FUEL EXHAUSTION, FORCED LANDING, AND IN FLIGHT COLLISION WITH TERRAIN.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 1/4/1992
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1315
Event Time Zone Central Standard Time
Event City HOLLY SPRINGS
Event State MISSISSIPPI
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 38635
Event Date Year 1992
Event Date Month 1
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 Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1352 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 300
Weather Observation Facility ID MEM
Elevation of weather observation facility 332
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 28
Time Zone of the weather observation EST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 1500
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Partial Obscuration
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
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) 8
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 3
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 300
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 11
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
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 --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 64
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 45954
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 2:42PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N3093
NTSB Number MIA92LA054
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 SMITH/DAVIS
Aircraft Model DA-2A
Aircraft Series Identifier DA-2A
Aircraft Serial Number 78
Certified Max Gross Weight --
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 Dec 21 1991 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 10
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name GARY L. SHIRLEY
Aircraft Owner Street Address 123 SHAKE RAG ROAD N.W.
Aircraft Owner City ADAIRSVILLE
Aircraft Owner State GA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 30103
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name GREGORY G. KANE
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 4116 SUNDOWN
Operator City KINGMAN
Operator State AZ
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 86401
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 0A5
Departure City RESACA
Departure State GA
Departure Country
Departure Time 1015
Departure Time Zone EST
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
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 10:34AM
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 --