Falcon Field Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Mesa, Arizona 85211
Friday, April 5, 1991 8:57 MST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE CERTIFICATED COMMERCIAL PILOT WAS IN THE FINAL APPROACH PHASE OF LANDING WHEN THE ENGINE QUIT. THE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO LAND IN AN ADJACENT FIELD BUT WAS UNABLE TO MAKE THE LANDING SPOT DUE TO HIS LOW ALTITUDE. THE AIRPLANE STRUCK TREES AND POWER LINES AND THEN STRUCK A WALL IN A RESIDENTIAL YARD. EXAMINATION OF THE AIRPLANE BY FAA PERSONNEL REVEALED THAT THE MAIN FUEL TANKS WERE EMPTY. SOME FUEL REMAINED IN AN AUXILIARY TANK. THE FUEL SELECTOR WAS IN THE MAIN TANK POSITION.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE MISMANAGEMENT OF THE AIRPLANE'S FUEL SUPPLY BY THE PILOT AND HIS FAILURE TO SELECT A FUEL TANK CONTAINING SUFFICIENT FUEL FOR FLIGHT WHICH RESULTED IN FUEL STARVATION.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 4/5/1991
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 857
Event Time Zone Mountain Standard Time
Event City MESA
Event State ARIZONA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 85211
Event Date Year 1991
Event Date Month 4
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport FALCON FIELD
Event Location Nearest Airport ID FFZ
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 1392
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 858 Mountain Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 65
Weather Observation Facility ID FFZ
Elevation of weather observation facility 1392
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 1
Time Zone of the weather observation MST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 25000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 45
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) --
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 20
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 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 1
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1121
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 44133
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 9:44AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N93RB
NTSB Number LAX91LA158
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 Ground
Aircraft Explosion Ground
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name GLASAIR III
Aircraft Model SH-3R
Aircraft Series Identifier SH-3R
Aircraft Serial Number 3148
Certified Max Gross Weight 2500
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? Yes
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 2
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Unknown
Date of Last Inspection Jan 2 2000 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 10
Airframe Hours 46
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name RAYMOND BATSON & ROBERT KIRK
Aircraft Owner Street Address 1542 WAKONOA
Aircraft Owner City FLAGSTAFF
Aircraft Owner State AZ
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name ROBERT KIRK
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 602 N.MAY #107
Operator City MESA
Operator State AZ
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 No
Departure Airport Code FFZ
Departure City MESA
Departure State AZ
Departure Country
Departure Time 815
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 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 4
Runway Length 5100
Runway Width 100
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --