Corsicana Municipal Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Corsicana, Texas 75110
Saturday, September 30, 2000 16:15 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot planned a cross-country flight originating from Fort Worth, Texas, and terminating at Corsicana, Texas, with an intermediate fuel stop at Lake Palestine, Texas. Upon arrival at the airport in Lake Palestine the pilot found that there were no fuel services available. The pilot calculated that it would take 58 minutes to continue the flight to the final destination; and with the cockpit fuel gauge indicating between 5 and 6 gallons of fuel remaining, he departed for Corsicana. The pilot reported that he was four miles from the Corsicana Airport when he realized the fuel gauge was 'very close to empty,' and subsequently, the 'engine just quit.' A forced landing was executed to a field where the airplane's left wing struck tree stumps. Four witnesses who were monitoring the common traffic advisory frequency at the Corsicana Airport reported that the pilot stated that he was 'running out of fuel' and attempting to land.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The failure of the pilot to refuel the airplane, which resulted in fuel exhaustion. A factor was the pilot's inadequate preflight planning and the lack of suitable terrain for the forced landing.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/30/2000
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1615
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City CORSICANA
Event State TEXAS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 75110
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 CORSICANA MUNICIPAL
Event Location Nearest Airport ID CRS
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 5
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Pilot
Time of the weather observation 0
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation
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) -1
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 160
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) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Serious
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 347
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Sep 30 2000 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 2104
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Mar 4 2001 7:07AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N25563
NTSB Number FTW00LA272
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 Porterfield
Aircraft Model LP65
Aircraft Series Identifier LP65
Aircraft Serial Number 671
Certified Max Gross Weight 1200
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 May 1 2000 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 31
Airframe Hours 2270
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name JAMES A. SPROUSE
Aircraft Owner Street Address 1373 WENTWORTH DRIVE
Aircraft Owner City LEWISVILLE
Aircraft Owner State TX
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 75067
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 F04
Departure City FORT WORTH
Departure State TX
Departure Country
Departure Time 1240
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code CRS
Destination City CORSICANA
Destination State TX
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Mar 4 2001 7:07AM
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 --