Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Sedona, Arizona 86336
Tuesady, June 23, 1992 11:25 MST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT WAS PROVIDING FOR HIRE SIGHTSEEING TOURS OF A SCENIC AREA OF SEDONA, ARIZONA, IN A VINTAGE BIPLANE. THE FRONT COCKPIT HAD BEEN MODIFIED TO ACCOMMODATE TWO PASSENGERS. NO RECORD OF AN APPROVED SEAT MODIFICATION IN ACCORDANCE WITH FACTORY SPECIFICATIONS OR A FAA FIELD APPROVAL WAS LOCATED. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE DEPARTED WITH 10 GALLONS OF FUEL ON BOARD FOR A 30 MINUTE TOUR. HE COULD NOT SAY HOW THE FUEL WAS DISTRIBUTED IN THE TANKS. HE ALSO SAID HE DID NOT USE A DIP STICK OR OTHER MEASURING DEVICE TO QUANTIFY THE FUEL LEVEL, BUT ESTIMATED THE TOTAL FUEL BASED ON CONSUMPTION ESTIMATES FROM PRIOR FLIGHTS. THE AIRPLANE HAS TWO 25 GALLON FUEL TANKS IN THE TOP WINGS WITH FLOAT SIGHT GAUGES UNDERWING. THE AIRCRAFT MAINTENANCE MANUAL STATES THAT 10 GALLONS OF FUEL IS THE MINIMUM REQUIRED FOR TAKEOFF IN THE TANK SELECTED. REGARDING THE SIGHT GAUGES, THE MANUAL STATES: 'AN ACCURATE READING CANNOT BE OBTAINED FROM THE GASOLINE GAUGES ON THE GROUND'. BOTH GAUGES WERE CONTAMINATED WITH A TAR LIKE SUBSTANCE ADHERING TO THE WIRE INDICATORS, WHICH RESEMBLED AN UNIDENTIFIED COATING FOUND INSIDE THE FUEL TANKS. EXAMINATION OF THE FUEL SYSTEM DISCLOSED THAT ONLY RESIDUAL FUEL REMAINED IN THE FUEL TANKS AND LINES TO THE ENGINE. FUEL SYSTEM CONTINUITY WAS ESTABLISHED.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

FUEL EXHAUSTION DUE TO THE PILOTS INADEQUATE PREFLIGHT PLANNING AND HIS FAILURE TO REFUEL THE AIRPLANE PRIOR TO DEPARTURE. FACTORS IN THE ACCIDENT WERE: 1) THE UNRELIABLE FUEL SIGHT GAUGES WHICH WERE CONTAMINATED WITH A TAR LIKE RESIDUE WHICH MAY HAVE PROVIDED AN ERRONEOUS INDICATION OF FUEL IN THE SYSTEM, 2) INADEQUATE AIRPLANE MAINTENANCE, AND, 3) THE UNSUITABLE TREE COVERED NATURE OF THE TERRAIN WHERE THE FORCED LANDING WAS ATTEMPTED.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 6/23/1992
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 1125
Event Time Zone Mountain Standard Time
Event City SEDONA
Event State ARIZONA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 86336
Event Date Year 1992
Event Date Month 6
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 Unknown
Investigator's weather source Witness
Time of the weather observation 0
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 6000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 40
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 29
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -18
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Calm
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) 0
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 2
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 3
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2957
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jun 23 1992 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1240
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 47803
Date of most recent change to record Dec 18 2002 11:28AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\GIUV
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N29926
NTSB Number LAX92FA257
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 WACO
Aircraft Model UPF-7
Aircraft Series Identifier UPF-7
Aircraft Serial Number 5423
Certified Max Gross Weight 2650
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 3
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Mar 23 1992 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 115
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name RALPH RAMSEY DBA R&S ENT.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 3134 MT ELDEN DR.
Aircraft Owner City FLAGSTAFF
Aircraft Owner State AZ
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 86004
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name OUT OF ARIZONA BIPLANE TOURS
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 276 N. HWY 89A, SUITE A
Operator City SEDONA
Operator State AZ
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 86336
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) Unknown
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code SEZ
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1105
Departure Time Zone MST
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 Aug 22 2001 3:51PM
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 Yes
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --