Athens/Ben Epps Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Athens, Georgia 30601
Saturday, September 11, 1999 13:25 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

According to the pilot, his intention was to fly one or two laps around the airport landing pattern, and his fuel distribution at departure was full auxiliary tanks, 10 gallons in the right main and 5 to 6 gallons in the left main. He took off with the fuel selector on the right main and twenty minutes later, on approach to the airport, the engine surged. He switched the fuel selector to an aux tank and switched on the boost pump, but could not regain power to the engine. He made a forced landing to a parking lot/driveway, damaging the airplane and a residential fence. The pilot characterized the occurrence as a case of running the tank dry at too low an altitude to switch tanks and regain engine power.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's improper fuel management resulting in loss of engine power on approach due to fuel starvation and damage to the aircraft during the subsequent forced landing.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/11/1999
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1325
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City ATHENS
Event State GEORGIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 30601
Event Date Year 1999
Event Date Month 9
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport ATHENS/BEN EPPS
Event Location Nearest Airport ID AHN
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 808
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1253 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 90
Weather Observation Facility ID AHN
Elevation of weather observation facility 808
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 1
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) 7
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 31
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 19
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 90
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 6
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
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 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 3
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 635
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Sep 11 1999 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1345
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 N6676V
NTSB Number MIA99LA251
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 Bellanca
Aircraft Model BL-17-30
Aircraft Series Identifier BL-17-30
Aircraft Serial Number 30046
Certified Max Gross Weight 3000
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 Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection May 13 1999 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 28
Airframe Hours 2327
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name 21ST CENTURY RESTORATIONS & SA
Aircraft Owner Street Address RD 1, BOX 53 RT.739
Aircraft Owner City DINGSMANS FERRY
Aircraft Owner State PA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 18328
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
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 Yes
Departure Airport Code AHN
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1305
Departure Time Zone EDT
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 --
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 --