Post Mills Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Post Mills, Vermont 05058
Saturday, August 5, 2000 18:45 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot reported that he departed, flew a cross-country flight, and entered the traffic pattern while operating on the left fuel tank. On base leg, he switched to the right tank. After turning final, he initiated a go-around due to conflicting traffic. The engine sputtered and lost power on the go-around. There was insufficient altitude to reach a suitable landing area, and the airplane settled into the trees in a nose down attitude. The fuel selector was turned off as the airplane began hitting the trees. Examination revealed the left fuel tank was empty, and when the cap on the right fuel tank was loosened, fuel gushed out around the edges of the cap. When the fuel selector was positioned to the right tank, fuel flowed from the right tank to the sump, which was broken, and the odor of fuel was detected in the air. The airplane had operated for 1 hour, 43 minutes on a fuel tank with a listed capacity of 12.5 gallons.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

was the pilot's improper fuel management which resulted in power loss due to fuel starvation.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/5/2000
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1845
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City POST MILLS
Event State VERMONT
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 05058
Event Date Year 2000
Event Date Month 8
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude --
Event Location Longitude --
Event Location Airport POST MILLS
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 2B9
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 693
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1853 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 203
Weather Observation Facility ID LEB
Elevation of weather observation facility 598
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 16
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) 9
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 350
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 5
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) 427
NTSB Notification Source FAA New England Comm Ctr
NTSB Notification Date Aug 7 2000 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 800
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Mar 4 2001 7:09AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N73044
NTSB Number NYC00LA219
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 Cessna
Aircraft Model 140
Aircraft Series Identifier 140
Aircraft Serial Number 10262
Certified Max Gross Weight 1450
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 2
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Dec 1 1999 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 53
Airframe Hours 4436
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name WILLIAM E. CLEGG
Aircraft Owner Street Address
Aircraft Owner City SOUTH ROYALTON
Aircraft Owner State VT
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 05068
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 No
Departure Airport Code RKD
Departure City ROCKLAND
Departure State ME
Departure Country
Departure Time 1702
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code 2B9
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Mar 4 2001 7:09AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 4
Runway Length 2900
Runway Width 80
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --