Genesee County Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Batavia, New York 14020
Thursday, January 24, 1991 4:38 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT CONTACTED APPROACH CONTROL EN ROUTE TO HIS DESTINATION, INDICATING HE WAS LOW ON FUEL AND LOST POWER ON ONE ENGINE. RADAR AND RADIO COMMUNICATIONS WERE LOST AND THE AIRPLANE WAS FOUND SEVERAL HOURS LATER WITH THE PILOT FATALLY INJURED. POST CRASH EXAMINATION OF THE AIRPLANE REVEALED THE FUEL TANKS INTACT, THE FUEL CAPS IN PLACE, NO FUEL IN THE TANKS, AND NO EVIDENCE OF LEAKAGE. THE SPARKS PLUGS LOOK GREY IN APPEARANCE. THE PILOT FLEW THIS SAME TRIP SEVERAL NIGHTS A WEEK AND HAD FLOWN THE SAME AIRPLANE AND TRIP THE NIGHT BEFORE. THE LOAD MANIFEST FROM THE NIGHT BEFORE INDICATED 500 LBS (83.3 GALLONS) OF FUEL ON BOARD AT DEPARTURE. THE TRIP TOOK 1.6 HOURS ON THE HOBBS METER. THERE WAS NO RECORD OF A REFUELING PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT FLIGHT. AFTER THE ACCIDENT FLIGHT, THE HOBBS METER INDICATED AN ADDITIONAL 1.6 HOURS.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO ENSURE AN ADEQUATE AMOUNT OF FUEL WAS ON BOARD FOR THE PLANNED FLIGHT WHICH RESULTED IN A DOUBLE POWER LOSS DUE TO THE FUEL EXHAUSTION.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 1/24/1991
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 438
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City BATAVIA
Event State NEW YORK
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 14020
Event Date Year 1991
Event Date Month 1
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport GENESEE COUNTY
Event Location Nearest Airport ID BTV
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 Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 0
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID ROC
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation
Lighting Conditions Night/Dark
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
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) -8
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -15
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 240
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 13
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
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) 46
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jan 24 1991 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 600
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 42905
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 9:14AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N73JP
NTSB Number NYC91LA064
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name BEECH
Aircraft Model 58
Aircraft Series Identifier 58
Aircraft Serial Number TH1057
Certified Max Gross Weight 5300
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 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Unknown
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection 0
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name
Aircraft Owner Street Address
Aircraft Owner City
Aircraft Owner State
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name PRIOR AVIATION SERVICE
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address GREATER BUFFALO INTL AIRPORT
Operator City BUFFALO
Operator State NY
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 14225
Operator Code BIOA
Owner has at least one certificate Yes - certificate holder
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 Non-scheduled
Indicates Domestic or International Flight Domestic
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail Cargo
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Unknown
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code UCA
Departure City UTICA
Departure State NY
Departure Country
Departure Time 354
Departure Time Zone EST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code BUF
Destination City BUFFALO
Destination State NY
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Cruise
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 --