Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Chiefland, Florida 32626
Saturday, August 14, 1999 15:20 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

According to the pilot, approximately two hours and 50 minutes into the cross country flight at 1500 feet msl, the fuel gauges indicated low fuel in the right tank and half fuel in the left tank. Approximately ten minutes later, the airplane lost manifold pressure with the fuel gauges indicating empty for the right tank and half fuel for the left tank. The pilot elected to land on a rural road. The airplane nosed over and came to a rest inverted substantially damaging the airplane. Examination of the wreckage revealed little evidence of fuel and revealed that the fuel line from the firewall to the input side of the gascolator was cracked.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Premature fuel exhaustion due to a cracked fuel line. Contributing to the severity of the accident was the electrical service drop line, which crossed the roadway.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/14/1999
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1520
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City CHIEFLAND
Event State FLORIDA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 32626
Event Date Year 1999
Event Date Month 8
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 --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1553 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 240
Weather Observation Facility ID GNV
Elevation of weather observation facility 152
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 40
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 3000
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) 6
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 34
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 25
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 6
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) 2215
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 4
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 4
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 516
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Aug 14 1999 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1630
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 11:49AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N667GA
NTSB Number ATL99LA116
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed VFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Cessna
Aircraft Model R172-E
Aircraft Series Identifier R172-E
Aircraft Serial Number R172-0150
Certified Max Gross Weight 2500
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 Continuous Airworthiness
Date of Last Inspection May 25 1999 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 28
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Yes
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name JAMES C. REEVES
Aircraft Owner Street Address 258 REEVES CREEK WAY
Aircraft Owner City JONESBORO
Aircraft Owner State GA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 30236
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name FREDERICK R. ZEIER
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 832 HICKORY DR SW
Operator City MARIETTA
Operator State GA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 30064
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 MGE
Departure City DOBBINS AFB
Departure State GA
Departure Country
Departure Time 1230
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code X16
Destination City TAMPA
Destination State FL
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 --