Gainesville Muni Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Gainsville, Texas 76240
Sunday, July 8, 1990 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT EXECUTED A GEAR DOWN FORCED LANDING IN AN OPEN FIELD FOLLOWING A DUAL ENGINE FAILURE DUE TO FUEL EXHAUSTION. THE ACCIDENT SITE WAS ABOUT 1/2 MILE SHORT OF THE THRESHOLD OF THE RUNWAY AT THE AIRPORT TO WHICH THE PIC HAD ELECTED TO DIVERT DUE TO A LOW FUEL STATE. EXAMINATION OF THE WRECKAGE REVEALED A TOTAL OF 2 GALLONS PRESENT IN THE FUEL SYSTEM WHICH CARRIED 103 GAL., OF WHICH 100 WERE USABLE. CALCULATIONS MADE USING THE OUTBOUND FUEL CONSUMPTION FIGURES INDICATED A FUEL BURN OF 98.8 GAL. UP TO THE TIME OF THE ENGINE FAILURES. DURING THE RETURN LEG, THE FLIGHT ENCOUNTERED HEAD WINGS WHICH ADDED 1 HR. TO THE FLIGHT TIME. HOWEVER, THE PIC STATED THAT HE DID NOT BECOME AWARE OF THE ADVERSE WINDS UNTIL LATE IN THE FLIGHT. AT THAT TIME THE DECISION TO DIVERT WAS MADE.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

FUEL EXHAUSTION DUE TO INADEQUATE PLANNING BY THE PILOT.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/8/1990
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 10
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City GAINSVILLE
Event State TEXAS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 76240
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 GAINESVILLE MUNI
Event Location Nearest Airport ID GLE
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 2350 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 250
Weather Observation Facility ID DFW
Elevation of weather observation facility 750
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 15
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Night/Bright
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 25000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
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) 28
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 19
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) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 0
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 3
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1048
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jul 8 1990 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 100
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 42267
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 5:09PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N2008A
NTSB Number FTW90LA134
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 BEECH
Aircraft Model BE-76
Aircraft Series Identifier BE-76
Aircraft Serial Number ME-67
Certified Max Gross Weight 3900
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 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Jun 29 1990 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 5542
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name COHEN, MICHAEL E.
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 79
Aircraft Owner City ADDISON
Aircraft Owner State TX
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 75001
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name COHEN, MICHAEL E.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address P. O. BOX 79
Operator City ADDISON
Operator State TX
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 75001
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 Yes
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code CIN
Departure City CARROLL
Departure State IA
Departure Country
Departure Time 1925
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code ADS
Destination City ADDISON
Destination State TX
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Approach
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:30AM
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 --