Waterbury-Oxford Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Southbury, Connecticut 06488
Tuesady, May 5, 1992 9:12 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

AFTER APPROX 4 HOURS OF FLIGHT THE ENGINE LOST POWER DUE TO FUEL EXHAUSTION. WHILE MANEUVERING FOR A FORCED LANDING OVER A WOODED AREA, THE AIRPLANE ENTERED AN INADVERTENT STALL/SPIN AND CRASHED IN A CREEK. FUEL STAINS WERE FOUND BEHIND THE FUEL CAP ON THE LEFT WING. WHEN TESTED, BOTH FUEL CAPS LEAKED. THE CAPS SHOWED EVIDENCE OF HAVING BEEN ADJUSTED IN THE FIELD TO A LOOSER FIT. NO FIELD ADJUSTMENTS OF THE CAP ARE AUTHORIZED. THERE WERE NO REPORTED PROBLEMS WITH THE COCKPIT FUEL GAUGES.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MONITOR HIS FUEL SUPPLY WHICH RESULTED IN A POWER LOSS DUE TO FUEL EXHAUSTION AND AN INADVERTENT STALL/SPIN AS THE PILOT WAS MANEUVERING FOR A FORCED LANDING. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WAS IMPROPER MAINTENANCE ON THE FUEL CAPS AND FUEL SIPHONING.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/5/1992
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 912
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City SOUTHBURY
Event State CONNECTICUT
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 06488
Event Date Year 1992
Event Date Month 5
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport WATERBURY-OXFORD
Event Location Nearest Airport ID OXC
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 2
Degrees magnetic from airport 230
Airport Elevation 727
Weather Briefing Completeness Partial - limited by pilot
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 920 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 50
Weather Observation Facility ID OXC
Elevation of weather observation facility 727
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 2
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 6500
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 5500
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 7
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -3
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 70
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 4
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) 2489
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 47261
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 2:55PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N36MR
NTSB Number NYC92FA090
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name BEECH
Aircraft Model A36
Aircraft Series Identifier A36
Aircraft Serial Number E-1419
Certified Max Gross Weight 3600
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 6
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Dec 8 1990 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 190
Airframe Hours 1870
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name MALCOM F. DUNN
Aircraft Owner Street Address HARDSCRABBLE ROAD
Aircraft Owner City CROTON FALLS
Aircraft Owner State NY
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 10519
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name MALCOM F. DUNN
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address HARDSCRABBLE ROAD
Operator City CROTON FALLS
Operator State NY
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 10519
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 49J
Departure City HILTON HEAD
Departure State SC
Departure Country
Departure Time 511
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code 44N
Destination City MILLBROOK
Destination State NY
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Descent
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 --