Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Albemarle, North Carolina 28001
Sunday, September 23, 1990 13:15 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT HAD PLANNED A CROSS COUNTRY SIGHTSEEING FLIGHT, WITH INTERMEDIATE STOPS FOR FUEL. AT THE FIRST STOP HE ONLY PURCHASED A LIMITED AMOUNT OF FUEL BECAUSE OF THE HIGH PRICE. HE DID NOT PURCHASE FUEL AT THE SECOND STOP. ON THE FINAL LEG OF THE FLIGHT, THE ENGINE QUIT. UNABLE TO GLIDE TO THE NEAREST SUITABLE AIRPORT, HE FORCE LANDED IN A FIELD, DAMAGING THE AIRPLANE. NO FUEL WAS FOUND ON BOARD THE AIRPLANE AT THE ACCIDENT SITE, AND THE PILOT ACKNOWLEDGED EXHAUSTING HIS FUEL SUPPLY.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT'S NOT OBTAINING AN ADEQUATE FUEL SUPPLY FOR HIS PLANNED FLIGHT, RESULTING IN FUEL EXHAUSTION.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/23/1990
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1315
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City ALBEMARLE
Event State NORTH CAROLINA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 28001
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
Event Location Nearest Airport ID
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 1250 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 250
Weather Observation Facility ID CLT
Elevation of weather observation facility 749
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 42
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 6000
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) 20
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 22
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 7
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 320
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 12
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
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 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2004
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Sep 23 1990 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1800
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 44558
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 N5BW
NTSB Number ATL90LA178
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 CESSNA
Aircraft Model 150J
Aircraft Series Identifier 150J
Aircraft Serial Number 15069426
Certified Max Gross Weight 1600
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 Unknown
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection 0
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Unknown
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name
Aircraft Owner Street Address
Aircraft Owner City
Aircraft Owner State
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name METROLINA FLYING CLUB, INC.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address ROUTE 7, P. O. BOX 237
Operator City MOORESVILLE
Operator State NC
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 28115
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 W44
Departure City ASHEBORO
Departure State NC
Departure Country
Departure Time 0
Departure Time Zone
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code 8A6
Destination City CHARLOTTE
Destination State NC
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Cruise
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 --