Rostraver Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Monongahela, Pennsylvania 15012
Friday, October 12, 1990 15:45 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE FLIGHT WAS FROM MONONGAHELA TO PITTSBURGH TO TETERBORO,NJ, THEN RETURN TO PITTSBURGH AND BACK TO MONONGAHELA. THE FLIGHT DEPARTED MONONGAHELA WITH 100 GALS OF FUEL; 160 GALS WERE ADDED AT PITTSBURGH; AND 80 GALS WERE ADDED AT TETERBORO. THE PILOT WANTED TO ADD MORE FUEL AT TETERBORO BUT THE OWNER DID NOT DUE TO THE HIGHER COST OF FUEL AND THE FUEL GAGE INDICATIONS. DURING THE RETURN TRIP NO FUEL WAS ADDED AT PITTSBURGH BECAUSE THE PILOT DID NOT HAVE A CREDIT CARD PROVIDED BY THE OWNER OR MONEY TO BUY FUEL. THE FLIGHT EXPERIENCED A TWO-ENGINE POWER LOSS DUE TO FUEL EXHAUSTION WHILE APPROACHING THE MONONGAHELA AIRPORT. SUBSEQUENT EXAMINATION OF THE COCKPIT FUEL GAGES SHOWED A TOTAL OF 125 GALS IN THE LEFT TANK AND 90 GALS IN THE RIGHT TANK; THE READING REMAINED THE SAME WITH OR WITHOUT POWER.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT'S INADEQUATE MONITORING OF THE FUEL BURN WHICH RESULTED IN TOTAL FUEL EXHAUSTION. FACTORS WHICH CONTRIBUTED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE PILOT'S LIMITED EXPERIENCE IN THE MAKE AND MODEL OF AIRPLANE, AN ERRONEOUS FUEL QUANTITY INDICATION, AND THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO REFUEL THE AIRPLANE DUE TO PRESSURE FROM THE OWNER TO NOT ADD FUEL.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 10/12/1990
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1545
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City MONONGAHELA
Event State PENNSYLVANIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 15012
Event Date Year 1990
Event Date Month 10
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport ROSTRAVER
Event Location Nearest Airport ID G08
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 Unknown
Investigator's weather source Pilot
Time of the weather observation 0
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 3800
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) 7
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) -18
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -18
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Calm
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
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 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1371
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Oct 16 1990 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1330
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 42682
Date of most recent change to record Dec 18 2002 11:28AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\GIUV
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N690X
NTSB Number NYC91LA010
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name SWEARINGEN
Aircraft Model SA-26AT
Aircraft Series Identifier SA-26AT
Aircraft Serial Number T26-141
Certified Max Gross Weight 10000
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 8
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
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 No
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 ZAGARI & ASSOCIATES
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 428 FORBES AVE
Operator City PITTSBURGH
Operator State PA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 15222
Operator Code NONE
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 No
Departure Airport Code PIT
Departure City PITTSBURGH
Departure State PA
Departure Country
Departure Time 1540
Departure Time Zone EST
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
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 --