Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Winter Haven, Florida 33812
Saturday, February 3, 1990 13:30 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PRIVATE PILOT DID NOT VISUALLY CONFIRM THE FUEL QUANTITY ON THE AIRPLANE DURING PREFLIGHT. ONE HOUR AND FIFTEEN MINUTES AFTER TAKEOFF THE ENGINE FAILED DUE TO FUEL EXHAUSTION. THE PILOT ESTIMATED THERE WERE ABOUT 17 GALLONS ON THE AIRPLANE PRIOR TO DEPARTURE. DURING THE SUBSEQUENT FORCED LANDING THE AIRPLANE STRUCK TREES AND WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT IN COMMAND FAILED TO PROPERLY PRE-FLIGHT THE AIRPLANE AND ASSURE THAT AN ADEQUATE FUEL SUPPLY WAS ONBOARD TO COMPLETE THE INTENDED FLIGHT. THIS RESULTED IN AN ENGINE FAILURE DUE TO FUEL EXHAUSTION.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 2/3/1990
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1330
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City WINTER HAVEN
Event State FLORIDA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 33812
Event Date Year 1990
Event Date Month 2
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 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 0
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1257 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 315
Weather Observation Facility ID LAL
Elevation of weather observation facility 48
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 13
Time Zone of the weather observation EST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 25000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 3500
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 20
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 28
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 19
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 140
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 7
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 Serious
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 1
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 159
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Feb 3 1990 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1420
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 40808
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 4:47PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N1173E
NTSB Number MIA90LA065
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 MOONEY
Aircraft Model M-20K-231
Aircraft Series Identifier M-20K-231
Aircraft Serial Number 25-0723
Certified Max Gross Weight 2740
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 Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Unknown
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name CHARLES V. MCADAM
Aircraft Owner Street Address C/O THOM 261 SEA OAK DR.
Aircraft Owner City VERO BEACH
Aircraft Owner State FL
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 32963
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 VRB
Departure City VERO BEACH
Departure State FL
Departure Country
Departure Time 1215
Departure Time Zone EST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code GIF
Destination City WINTERHAVEN
Destination State FL
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Descent
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 0
Runway Width 0
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --