Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Friendly, Maryland 20744
Monday, August 21, 2000 21:05 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

While on the last leg of a solo cross-country flight, the student pilot became disoriented and contacted air traffic control for assistance. The air traffic controller at vectored the airplane over the destination airport two times, but the student pilot could not visually identify the airport due to increasing darkness. After about 20 minutes of searching for the airport, the fuel supply was exhausted, and the engine quit. The student pilot conducted a forced landing to a road, where it struck a tree before coming to rest upright. Visual inspection of the airplane after the accident revealed no evidence of fuel in the airplanes wing tanks or at the accident site.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's inability to locate the airport, which resulted in fuel exhaustion. A factor related to the accident was the night light conditions.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/21/2000
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 2105
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City FRIENDLY
Event State MARYLAND
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 20744
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
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 Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 2055 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 60
Weather Observation Facility ID ADW
Elevation of weather observation facility 281
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 7
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Dusk
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 25000
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) 7
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 16
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 13
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 130
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 2
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 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 10028
NTSB Notification Source IAD FSDO
NTSB Notification Date Aug 22 2000 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1600
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Jul 17 2001 8:35AM
User who most recently changed record MONR
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N8709G
NTSB Number NYC00LA235
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 150F
Aircraft Series Identifier 150F
Aircraft Serial Number 15062809
Certified Max Gross Weight 1600
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 Jun 26 2000 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name ROBERT J. HEPP
Aircraft Owner Street Address
Aircraft Owner City SPRINGFIELD
Aircraft Owner State VA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 22157
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name AVIATION ADVENTURES
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 10300 GLEN WAY
Operator City FORT WASHINGTON
Operator State MD
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 20744
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) Instructional
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code SBY
Departure City SALSBURY
Departure State MD
Departure Country
Departure Time 2030
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code VKX
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Cruise
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record May 16 2001 4:05AM
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 --