Belivar-Hardeman Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Bolivar, Tennessee 38008
Tuesady, March 27, 1990 11:30 CST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

AFTER TAKEOFF, AS THE AIRCRAFT WAS CLIMBING THROUGH APPROXIMATELY 300 FT OVER THE RUNWAY, THE ENGINE LOST POWER. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE AIRCRAFT ENCOUNTERED A DITCH DURING A FORCED LANDING AND WAS DAMAGED. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT HE HAD NOT PLACED THE FUEL SELECTOR TO A TANK WITH SUFFICIENT FUEL. THE AIRCRAFT HAD ABOUT 45 GAL OF FUEL AVAILABLE AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. THE PILOT'S MEDICAL CERTIFICATE AND BIENNIAL FLIGHT REVIEW HAD BOTH EXPIRED.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT FAILED TO PROPERLY SELECT A TANK WITH SUFFICIENT FUEL PRIOR TO TAKEOFF.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 3/27/1990
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 1130
Event Time Zone Central Standard Time
Event City BOLIVAR
Event State TENNESSEE
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 38008
Event Date Year 1990
Event Date Month 3
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport BELIVAR-HARDEMAN
Event Location Nearest Airport ID M08
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 510
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Unknown
Time of the weather observation 1150 Central Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 14
Weather Observation Facility ID MKL
Elevation of weather observation facility 434
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 24
Time Zone of the weather observation CST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 25000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 15
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 13
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -2
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 40
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 6
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 0
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) 108
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Mar 28 1990 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 730
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 40679
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 4:49PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N5524J
NTSB Number ATL90LA086
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 PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-32
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-32
Aircraft Serial Number 32-983
Certified Max Gross Weight 3400
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 6
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Mar 7 1990 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 41
Airframe Hours 4512
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name F. M. SPEARS
Aircraft Owner Street Address RT. 3 BOX 396
Aircraft Owner City MILAN
Aircraft Owner State TX
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 38358
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address GIBSON COUNTRY AIRPORT
Operator City TRENTON
Operator State TN
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 38382
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) Ferry
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1130
Departure Time Zone CST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code TGC
Destination City TRENTON
Destination State TN
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
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 36
Runway Length 4000
Runway Width 75
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --