Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Parris Island, South Carolina 29905
Thursday, January 25, 1990 19:30 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE ENGINE LOST POWER SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF. POST-ACCIDENT EXAMINATION OF THE AIRPLANE SHOWED THAT NONE OF THE THREE FUEL TANKS CONTAINED ANY FUEL. THE ENGINE WAS STARTED AND OPERATED TO FULL POWER WITH NO EVIDENCE OF FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION AFTER THE ACCIDENT WHEN FUEL WAS SUPPLIED. RECORDS INDICATED THE AIRCRAFT WAS LAST FUELED 3.47 HOURS BEFORE THE ACCIDENT, WHEN THE FUEL QUANTITY WAS BROUGHT UP TO 34 USABLE GALLONS. ACCORDING TO ENGINE SPECIFICATIONS, THE ENGINE CONSUMED 11.0 GALLONS AT 75% POWER, 10.3 GALLONS AT 70% POWER, AND 9.5 GALLONS AT 65% POWER.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO INSURE THAT SUFFICIENT FUEL WAS ABOARD FOR THE FLIGHT, RESULTING IN FUEL EXHAUSTION.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 1/25/1990
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 1930
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City PARRIS ISLAND
Event State SOUTH CAROLINA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 29905
Event Date Year 1990
Event Date Month 1
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 2000 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 360
Weather Observation Facility ID NBC
Elevation of weather observation facility 38
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 1
Time Zone of the weather observation EST
Lighting Conditions Night/Dark
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 1500
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
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) 19
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 17
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 230
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 6
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 14
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) 1300
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) 324
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jan 26 1990 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 825
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 41134
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 4:43PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N8199E
NTSB Number ATL90LA057
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 MOONEY
Aircraft Model M20A
Aircraft Series Identifier M20A
Aircraft Serial Number 1470
Certified Max Gross Weight 2450
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 4
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Dec 19 1989 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 4
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Unknown
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name ERNEST MATCOTTA
Aircraft Owner Street Address 15 E AIRPORT ROAD
Aircraft Owner City HILTON HEAD
Aircraft Owner State SC
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 29920
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name ERNEST A. MATACOTTA
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 4344 QUAIL DRIVE
Operator City BEAUFORT
Operator State SC
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 49J
Departure City HILTON HEAD
Departure State SC
Departure Country
Departure Time 1926
Departure Time Zone EST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code 73J
Destination City BEAUFORT
Destination State SC
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Climb
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 --