Smithville Muni Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Smithville, Tennessee 37166
Sunday, December 27, 1992 16:00 CST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PRIVATE PILOT LANDED AT AN AIRPORT 45 MILES SHORT OF HIS DESTINATION TO REFUEL. NO FUEL WAS AVAILABLE, SO HE ELECTED TO CONTINUE TO HIS DESTINATION. HE ESTIMATED 12 GALLONS OF FUEL ON BOARD AT THE TIME. ENROUTE TO THE AIRPORT, HE RAN THE RIGHT TANK DRY, AND SWITCHED TO THE LEFT TANK. HE DECIDED TO FLY A NO FLAP LANDING DUE TO LOW FUEL. HE WAS HIGH AND FAST ON FINAL, SO HE SLIPPED THE AIRCRAFT, LEFT WING LOW. HE COULD NOT LAND SAFELY, SO HE EXECUTED A GO AROUND, AND THE ENGINE DID NOT RESPOND. HE ATTEMPTED A TURN BACK TO THE AIRPORT FOR A FORCED LANDING. WHILE IN THE TURN, THE AIRCRAFT STRUCK A FENCE, THEN COLLIDED WITH THE GROUND. THE CESSNA 210 PILOT'S MANUAL STATES THAT PROLONGED SIDESLIPS CAN RESULT IN UNPORTING OF THE FUEL SYSTEM, AND FUEL STARVATION. THERE CAN BE UP TO 10 GALLONS OF UNUSABLE FUEL IN THE SYSTEM WHEN LEVEL FLIGHT IS NOT MAINTAINED. THE ENGINE POWER LOSS OCCURRED ABOUT 35 MINUTES INTO THE ACCIDENT FLIGHT.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO FOLLOW PILOT MANUAL PROCEDURES BY SLIPPING THE AIRCRAFT WITH INADEQUATE FUEL AVAILABLE, WHICH RESULTED IN FUEL STARVATION. FACTORS WERE THE INADEQUATE FUEL SUPPLY ON THE AIRCRAFT AND THE FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO REFUEL.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 12/27/1992
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1600
Event Time Zone Central Standard Time
Event City SMITHVILLE
Event State TENNESSEE
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 37166
Event Date Year 1992
Event Date Month 12
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport SMITHVILLE MUNI
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 0A3
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 1
Degrees magnetic from airport 240
Airport Elevation 1081
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1552 Central Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 280
Weather Observation Facility ID BNA
Elevation of weather observation facility 599
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 43
Time Zone of the weather observation CST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 1600
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 3
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 6
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -1
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 160
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 9
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 Light
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Serious
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 1
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 724
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Dec 27 1992 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1834
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 48135
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 3:29PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N7479E
NTSB Number ATL93LA043
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 210
Aircraft Series Identifier 210
Aircraft Serial Number 57179
Certified Max Gross Weight 2900
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 Jun 6 1992 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 42
Airframe Hours 1271
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name LOVE, DOROTHY
Aircraft Owner Street Address 584 E. BAKER
Aircraft Owner City CLAWSON
Aircraft Owner State MI
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 48017
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name LOVE, CARL C.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address 584 E. BAKER
Operator City CLAWSON
Operator State MI
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 48017
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 TZV
Departure City TOMPKINSVILLE
Departure State KY
Departure Country
Departure Time 1525
Departure Time Zone CST
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
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 24
Runway Length 4100
Runway Width 75
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --