Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Fort Worth, Texas 76106
Sunday, December 15, 1991 15:24 CST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

DURING A DAYLIGHT LOCAL AREA FLIGHT, THE PRIVATE PILOT EXPERIENCED A COMPLETE LOSS OF ENGINE POWER. EXAMINATION OF THE AIRPLANE REVEALED THAT THE LEFT FUEL TANK WAS EMPTY AND THE FUEL SELECTOR WAS POSITIONED TO THE LEFT TANK. FURTHER EXAMINATION REVEALED THAT SUFFICIENT FUEL REMAINED IN THE RIGHT TANK TO SUSTAIN FLIGHT UNTIL HIS INTENDED DESTINATION. THE PILOT SELECTED UNEVEN AND ROUGH TERRAIN WHEN MORE SUITABLE AREAS FOR LANDING WERE AVAILABLE.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT'S SELECTION OF UNSUITABLE TERRAIN. FACTORS WERE THE FUEL STARVATION AND THE TOUGH TERRAIN.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 12/15/1991
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1524
Event Time Zone Central Standard Time
Event City FORT WORTH
Event State TEXAS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 76106
Event Date Year 1991
Event Date Month 12
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 Witness
Time of the weather observation 0
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 25000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 10000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
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) 14
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -3
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 180
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) 500
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1564
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 45414
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 10:53AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N6392J
NTSB Number FTW92LA046
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-28-180
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-28-180
Aircraft Serial Number 28-407
Certified Max Gross Weight 2600
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 Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Apr 9 1991 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 3675
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name GEORGE M. GROVE
Aircraft Owner Street Address 2421 SXCARRIER PARKWAY
Aircraft Owner City GRAND PRAIRIE
Aircraft Owner State TX
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 75051
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name GEORGE M. GROVE
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address 2421 SXCARRIER PARKWAY
Operator City GRAND PRAIRIE
Operator State TX
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 75051
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 F54
Departure City ARLINGTON
Departure State TX
Departure Country
Departure Time 1415
Departure Time Zone CST
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 Landing
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 --