Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Greenville Downtown Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Greenville, South Carolina 29606
Sunday, August 8, 1999 18:22 EDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The flight departed with full fuel tanks and the fuel selector was positioned briefly to the left tank using only 2-3 gallons of fuel; the remainder of the flight the fuel selector was positioned to the right tank. The flight was cleared to land from a left base leg and while on short final approach, with the flaps extended 20 degrees, he added power but the engine did not respond. Attempts to restart the engine were unsuccessful. He cycled the fuel pump switch and fuel pressure decreased to zero. He declared a mayday and unable to land on the runway, collided with an embankment short of the displaced threshold. The left wing separated from the airplane during the impact sequence. Post accident examination of the airplane revealed only approximately 2 ounces of fuel drained from the intact right wing fuel tank. The left wing fuel tank was found to contain approximately 9 gallons. Fuel was added to the right wing fuel tank and the engine was started and operated to 800 rpm; damage to the propeller precluded operation to a higher rpm. Examination of the fuel vent system, fuel quantity indication system revealed no evidence of preimpact failure or malfunction.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The improper position of the fuel selector by the pilot-in-command resulting in the loss of engine power due to fuel starvation. Also, the inadequate altitude flown by the pilot on final approach preventing a landing on the runway following the loss of engine power.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 8/8/1999 |
| Event Day of the Week | Sunday |
| Time of Event | 1822 |
| Event Time Zone | Eastern Daylight Time |
| Event City | GREENVILLE |
| Event State | SOUTH CAROLINA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 29606 |
| 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 | GREENVILLE DOWNTOWN |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | GMU |
| 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 | 1048 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | Not pertinent |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1823 Eastern Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 0 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | GMU |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 1048 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 0 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | EDT |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| 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) | 6 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 33 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 18 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 270 |
| 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 | 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) | 1284 |
| NTSB Notification Source | -- |
| NTSB Notification Date | Aug 8 1999 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 2015 |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | IMAGE |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jan 10 2001 10:11AM |
| User who most recently changed record | dbo |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N82974 |
| NTSB Number | MIA99LA221 |
| 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 | Piper |
| Aircraft Model | PA-28-181 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | PA-28-181 |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 28-8190089 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 2550 |
| 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 | 100 Hour |
| Date of Last Inspection | Jul 1 1999 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 52 |
| Airframe Hours | 6133 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | Yes |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | D AND J ENTERPRISES, INC. |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | P.O. BOX 16555 |
| Aircraft Owner City | GREENVILLE |
| Aircraft Owner State | SC |
| Aircraft Owner Country | |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 29602 |
| Operator is an individual? | -- |
| Operator Name | GREENVILLE AVIATION FLT SCHOOL |
| Operator Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Street Address | 58 WATSON AVIATION RD. |
| Operator City | GREENVILLE |
| Operator State | SC |
| Operator Country | |
| Operator Zip code | 29606 |
| 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 | GWW |
| Departure City | GOLDSBORO |
| Departure State | NC |
| Departure Country | |
| Departure Time | 1555 |
| Departure Time Zone | EDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | crash at destination city |
| Destination Airport Code | GMU |
| Destination City | |
| Destination State | |
| Destination Country | |
| Specific Phase of Flight | -- |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jan 10 2001 12:27PM |
| 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 | -- |