Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Covington, Georgia 30279
Thursday, September 23, 1999 16:45 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot ran out of fuel and performed a forced landing in a cow pasture. The pilot obtained 9 gallons of 100LL fuel, refueled the airplane, and then taxied from the cow pasture to a 1,500-ft dirt road. The pilot attempted to take off on the dirt road, but aborted the takeoff when it looked like he was not going to make it. During the aborted takeoff the airplane's right wing collided with a tree.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

the pilot's decision to take off from unsuitable terrain, which resulted in a collision with trees.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/23/1999
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 1645
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City COVINGTON
Event State GEORGIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 30279
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
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 20
Degrees magnetic from airport 360
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1653 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 200
Weather Observation Facility ID ATL
Elevation of weather observation facility 1026
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 12
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) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 24
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 4
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) 2000
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) 912
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Sep 23 1999 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1645
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 11:56AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N4300S
NTSB Number MIA99LA264
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-28-161
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-28-161
Aircraft Serial Number 28-8316064
Certified Max Gross Weight 2325
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 Oct 28 1998 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 75
Airframe Hours 5454
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name AIR ORLANDO ACQUISITION INC
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O BOX 141087
Aircraft Owner City ORLANDO
Aircraft Owner State FL
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 32814
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name AIR ORLANDO INC.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 3160 E. LIVINGSTON ST.
Operator City ORLANDO
Operator State FL
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 32803
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 ORL
Departure City ORLANDO
Departure State FL
Departure Country
Departure Time 955
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code PDK
Destination City DEKALB
Destination State GA
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Takeoff
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 --