Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Owosso, Michigan 48867
Saturday, August 15, 1992 19:58 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

A TOTAL LOSS OF ENGINE POWER WAS EXPERIENCED ON SHORT FINAL APPROACH. THE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO LAND ON A HIGHWAY AS THERE WERE TREES AND HOUSES ALONG THE APPROACH TO THE AIRPORT. THE AIRPLANE CONTACTED POWERLINES ALONG THE ROAD AND DESCENDED TO IMPACT WITH THE TERRAIN. POST ACCIDENT INSPECTION REVEALED THE RIGHT FUEL TANK (TANK WHICH WAS SELECTED) WAS EMPTY AND THE LEFT FUEL TANK WAS 1/2 FULL. THE FUEL QUANTITY INDICATORS SHOWED THE RIGHT TANK FULL AND THE LEFT TANK JUST ABOVE EMPTY.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

FUEL STARVATION WHICH RESULTED FROM THE PILOT HAVING SELECTED THE WRONG FUEL TANK. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE POOR AIRCRAFT PREFLIGHT AND THE UNRELIABLE FUEL QUANTITY GAUGES.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/15/1992
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1958
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City OWOSSO
Event State MICHIGAN
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 48867
Event Date Year 1992
Event Date Month 8
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 Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1950 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 90
Weather Observation Facility ID FNT
Elevation of weather observation facility 782
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 17
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 9000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 9000
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) 14
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 18
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 9
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 60
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 6
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 Minor
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 3
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 3
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2254
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Aug 17 1992 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 700
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 47026
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 3:12PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N5749P
NTSB Number CHI92LA243
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-24-250
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-24-250
Aircraft Serial Number 24-824
Certified Max Gross Weight 2800
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 4
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Jul 29 1992 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 1
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name ROBERT M. GUTE
Aircraft Owner Street Address 4305 M-71
Aircraft Owner City CORUNNA
Aircraft Owner State MI
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 48817
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name ROBERT M. GUTE
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
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 Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1930
Departure Time Zone EDT
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 Approach
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:35AM
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 --