Yeager Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Charleston, West Virginia 25311
Friday, August 17, 1990 14:34 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PLT RPRTD HE SVCD THE ACFT TO THE 50 GAL LEVEL (BOTTOM OF FILLER NECKS) BEFORE DEPG ON THE 1ST LEG OF THE FLT TO ONTARIO, CANADA. ACCORDING TO HIM, THE ACFT WAS ABOUT 14 MI FROM LANDING AT CHARLESTON, WV, WHEN THE ENG LOST POWER. HE SWITCHED FUEL TANKS & THE ENG RESTARTED. THE PLT RPRTD THAT ABOUT 6 TO 8 MINS LATER, THE ENG LOST POWER AGAIN & WOULD NOT RESTART. TERRAIN IN THE AREA WAS HILLY/MOUNTAINOUS. DURING AN EMERG LNDG, THE ACFT STRUCK A TREE, THEN IMPACTED ON A ROAD & HIT A UTILITY POLE BEFORE STOPPING. AN INVESTIGATION REVEALED FUEL STREAKS ALONG THE LEFT SIDE OF THE FUSELAGE, AFT OF THE ENG COWLING. A FURTHER EXAM REVEALED THE FUEL PRESSURE LINE, PN 21163-00, HAD FAILED INSIDE THE ENG COMPARTMENT. THE LINE FAILED ABT 2.5 INCHES FROM WHERE IT CONNECTED TO THE FUEL PRESSURE HOSE ASSEMBLY. A METALLURGICAL EXAM DETERMINED THE LINE HAD FAILED FROM FATIGUE.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

FUEL EXHAUSTION DUE TO FATIGUE FAILURE OF A FUEL LINE. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: LACK OF SUITABLE TERRAIN AND OBSTRUCTIONS (TREES & UTILITY POLE) IN THE EMERGENCY LANDING AREA.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/17/1990
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1434
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City CHARLESTON
Event State WEST VIRGINIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 25311
Event Date Year 1990
Event Date Month 8
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport YEAGER
Event Location Nearest Airport ID CRW
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 --
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Unknown
Time of the weather observation 1440 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID CRW
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 5000
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) 5
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 31
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 18
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 300
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 4
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 2
Injury Total None 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 6001
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Aug 20 1990 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 730
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 42809
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 5:15PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number CGBEG
NTSB Number BFO90LA071
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 PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-24-180
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-24-180
Aircraft Serial Number 24-83
Certified Max Gross Weight 2550
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class Foreign 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 Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Unknown
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection 0
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name DAVID MCELROY/MICHAEL FREUND
Aircraft Owner Street Address 274 SPRING GARDEN RD
Aircraft Owner City ONTARIO
Aircraft Owner State CD
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode
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 SAV
Departure City SAVANNAH
Departure State GA
Departure Country
Departure Time 1120
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code CRW
Destination City CHARLESTON
Destination State WV
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 --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --