Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Yutan, Nebraska 68073
Sunday, July 29, 1990 21:30 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PLT WAS ON A NIGHT, CROSS-COUNTRY FLIGHT IN A BORROWED, HOMEBUILT LONGEZE. ABOUT 20 MI FROM HIS DESTINATION, THE ENG LOST POWER. AN EMERGENCY LNDG WAS MADE ON A HIGHWAY, WHICH RESULTED IN A COLLISION WITH A MOTOR VEHICLE & A ROAD SIGN BEFORE COMING TO REST IN A DITCH. A POST ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION REVEALED THE ACFT WAS EMPTY OF USABLE FUEL. AN ENG RUN-UP REVEALED NO MALFUNCTION. THE PLT RPRTD THAT BEFORE THE ENG LOST POWER, HE HAD MOVED THE FUEL SELECTOR TO THE RGT TANK, WHICH (HE THOUGHT) HAD ABOUT 7 GAL REMAINING. HE ESTIMATED THE ACFT HAD FLOWN ONLY ABOUT 20 MI FURTHER, WHEN THE ENG LOST POWER. THIS LONGEZE WAS EQUIPPED WITH RETRACTABLE TRICYLE GEAR. THE MAIN GEAR RETRACTED INTO THE REAR AREA OF THE FUEL TANKS. THIS FEATURE REDUCED THE TOTAL FUEL CAPACITY OF THE ACFT.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

FUEL EXHAUSTION DUE TO AN INADEQUATE SUPPLY OF FUEL AND THE PILOT'S LACK OF FAMILIARITY WITH THIS HOME-BUILT AIRCRAFT. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: DARKNESS AND OBSTRUCTIONS (VEHICLE & ROAD SIGN) IN THE EMERGENCY LANDING AREA.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/29/1990
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 2130
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City YUTAN
Event State NEBRASKA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 68073
Event Date Year 1990
Event Date Month 7
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID NONE
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 1100
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 2150 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 80
Weather Observation Facility ID OMA
Elevation of weather observation facility 980
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 20
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Night/Dark
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) 12
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 23
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 20
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 10
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 3
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 Minor
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 2
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 935
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jul 30 1990 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 400
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 42106
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 5:08PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N252BJ
NTSB Number CHI90LA203
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 FORBING
Aircraft Model LONGEZE
Aircraft Series Identifier LONGEZE
Aircraft Serial Number 222
Certified Max Gross Weight 2200
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? Yes
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 Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Jul 25 1990 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 12
Airframe Hours 396
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name IRVING H. FORBING
Aircraft Owner Street Address 1812 NOVA GLEN
Aircraft Owner City ESCONDIDO
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 92026
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 KS01
Departure City HOXIE
Departure State KS
Departure Country
Departure Time 2000
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code OMA
Destination City OMAHA
Destination State NE
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 0
Runway Length 0
Runway Width 0
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --