Gene Snyder Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Falmouth, Kentucky 41040
Tuesady, March 10, 1992 14:05 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT EXPERIENCED A POWER LOSS FROM FUEL EXHAUSTION OVER UNSUITABLE TERRAIN. WHEN INTERVIEWED BY TELEPHONE, THE PILOT SAID HE DEPARTED WITH ONE TANK FULL AND THE OTHER AT 3/4. IN HIS WRITTEN REPORT HE SAID HE WAS CRUISING AT 75 PERCENT POWER WITH THE 'INTENT TO FLY THE ENGINE HARD TO HELP IT BREAK IN PROPERLY.' HE SAID HE LEANED THE ENGINE UNTIL IT WAS ROUGH AND THEN ENRICHED THE MIXTURE UNTIL IT WAS SMOOTH. THE AIRPLANE HAS 30 GALLONS USABLE FUEL AND WAS AIRBORNE FOR 3.2 HOURS. ACCORDING TO THE MANUFACTURER, THE FUEL CONSUMPTION FOR BEST ECONOMY IS 5.6 GPH, AND FOR BEST POWER IS 6.5 GPH. POST ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION FOUND NO EVDIENCE OF FUEL LEAKAGE OR EXCESSIVE FUEL CONSUMPTION.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO ADEQUATELY MONITOR HIS FUEL CONSUMPTION WHICH RESULTED IN A POWER LOSS FROM FUEL EXHAUSTION OVER UNSUITABLE TERRAIN. A FACTOR RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO ADEQUATELY DETERMINE THE AMOUNT OF FUEL ONBOARD PRIOR TO DEPARTURE.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 3/10/1992
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 1405
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City FALMOUTH
Event State KENTUCKY
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 41040
Event Date Year 1992
Event Date Month 3
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport GENE SNYDER
Event Location Nearest Airport ID KYG2
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 1
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 898
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1450 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 331
Weather Observation Facility ID CVG
Elevation of weather observation facility 331
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 24
Time Zone of the weather observation EST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 1700
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 15
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 1
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -3
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 30
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 8
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 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) 86
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 45967
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 2:48PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N2460C
NTSB Number NYC92LA054
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 PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-38-112
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-38-112
Aircraft Serial Number 38-79A0196
Certified Max Gross Weight 1670
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 Unknown
Date of Last Inspection Jan 31 1992 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 3
Airframe Hours 4393
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name MCCLUEN AVIATION, INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 8925 WESLEY PL DR
Aircraft Owner City KNOXVILLE
Aircraft Owner State KY
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 37922
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name GLENN W. MCCLUEN
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address 8925 WESLEY PL DR
Operator City KNOXVILLE
Operator State KY
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 37922
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 TYS
Departure City KNOXVILLE
Departure State KY
Departure Country
Departure Time 1052
Departure Time Zone EST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code I69
Destination City BATAVIA
Destination State OH
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Descent
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 3
Runway Length 4000
Runway Width 75
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --