Johnson County Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Smithfield, North Carolina 27577
Thursday, September 6, 1990 13:00 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

AFTER SEVERAL LANDINGS, THE PILOT DECIDED TO CONTINUE THE FLIGHT WITH ADDITIONAL LANDINGS. HOWEVER, BEFORE THE TAKEOFF, THEY REALIZED THAT FUEL WAS CRITICAL, SO THEY ELECTED TO FLY A TIGHT TRAFFIC PATTERN. THE ENGINE QUIT ON DOWNWIND. THE PILOT ATTEMPTED A FORCED LANDING TO THE RUNWAY, BUT COLLIDED WITH TREES SHORT OF THE RUNWAY. THE PILOT FAILED TO PLAN FUEL REQUIREMENTS FOR THIS SERIES OF LANDINGS.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO PROPERLY PREFLIGHT FUEL REQUIREMENTS FOR THE ADDITIONAL LANDING. THE ENGINE QUIT DUE TO FUEL EXHAUSTION.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/6/1990
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 1300
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City SMITHFIELD
Event State NORTH CAROLINA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 27577
Event Date Year 1990
Event Date Month 9
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport JOHNSON COUNTY
Event Location Nearest Airport ID JNX
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 164
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1300 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 310
Weather Observation Facility ID RDU
Elevation of weather observation facility 437
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 35
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
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) 4
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 33
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 21
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 350
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 7
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 1
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 890
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 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 747
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Sep 6 1990 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1415
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 41785
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 5:21PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N7169Z
NTSB Number ATL90LA167
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name WSK
Aircraft Model PZL-104
Aircraft Series Identifier PZL-104
Aircraft Serial Number CF 20900890
Certified Max Gross Weight 2866
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 2
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Aug 23 1990 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 11
Airframe Hours 11
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name MELEX USA INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 1221 FRONT STREET
Aircraft Owner City RALEIGH
Aircraft Owner State NC
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 27609
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) Business
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1255
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Approach
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 21
Runway Length 4900
Runway Width 75
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --