Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Homosassa, Florida 34448
Saturday, September 30, 2000 9:50 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot departed the airport en route to another airport located 24.5 miles to the south/southeast to have an annual maintenance inspection performed on the airplane. Prior to departure, he did not receive a weather briefing. The pilot stated that upon arrival at his destination airport, low clouds and an overcast fog layer had developed. He circled the area looking for better ground visibility and none was found. An attempt was made to return to the departure airport for landing. While maneuvering to maintain visual conditions for the landing, the engine lost power due to fuel starvation, and attempts to restart the engine were unsuccessful. Unable to reach the airport, the pilot made an off airport landing between a house and a tree. Upon impact with the ground, the airplane nosed over.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's inadvertent flight into instrument meteorological conditions and subsequently exhausting his fuel supply. Factors were his failure to obtain a weather briefing, the weather conditions which included clouds and obscuration, the residence and the tree.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/30/2000
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 950
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City HOMOSASSA
Event State FLORIDA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 34448
Event Date Year 2000
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 --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 953 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 350
Weather Observation Facility ID BKV
Elevation of weather observation facility 77
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 16
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 1200
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 900
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
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) 24
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 10
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 10
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) 1077
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) 436
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Sep 30 2000 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1031
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Apr 9 2001 8:54AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N2234K
NTSB Number ATL00LA094
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 Luscombe
Aircraft Model 8A
Aircraft Series Identifier 8A
Aircraft Serial Number 4961
Certified Max Gross Weight 1260
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 Sep 2 1999 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 261
Airframe Hours 876
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name ALAN E. FEARNS
Aircraft Owner Street Address 1031 N. CARNEY AVENUE
Aircraft Owner City LECANTO
Aircraft Owner State FL
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 34461
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 CGC
Departure City CRYSTAL RIVER
Departure State FL
Departure Country
Departure Time 800
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code BKV
Destination City BROOKSVILLE
Destination State FL
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Cruise
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Apr 9 2001 8:54AM
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 --