Rusk County Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Henderson, Texas 75652
Monday, April 18, 1988 21:08 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT EXPERIENCED TOTAL LOSS OF POWER FROM THE LEFT ENGINE AND A PARTIAL LOSS OF POWER FROM THE RIGHT ENGINE DUE TO FUEL STARVATION. THE MAIN FUEL TANKS ON WHICH THE ENGINES WERE OPERATING WERE FOUND EMPTY BUT THERE WAS AN ADEQUATE FUEL SUPPLY IN THE AUXILIARY TANKS. ALTHOUGH OPERATING IN IFR CONDITIONS, THE PILOT ACCOMPLISHED A SAFE LANDING ON AN AIRPORT. TESTS SHOWED ERRONEOUS FUEL FLOW INDICATIONS AND DEFECTIVE FUEL FLOAT SENSORS.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Incident
Event Date 4/18/1988
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 2108
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City HENDERSON
Event State TEXAS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 75652
Event Date Year 1988
Event Date Month 4
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport RUSK COUNTY
Event Location Nearest Airport ID F12
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 441
Weather Briefing Completeness Full
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 2118 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID GGG
Elevation of weather observation facility 365
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Night/Dark
Lowest Ceiling Height 2500
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 15
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) --
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 310
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 10
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) --
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) 5013
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Apr 18 1988 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 2134
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 36401
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 11:40AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N59981
NTSB Number FTW88IA092
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage None
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-31-350
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-31-350
Aircraft Serial Number 31-7552070
Certified Max Gross Weight 7000
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 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection AAIP
Date of Last Inspection Apr 10 1988 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 2
Airframe Hours 1453
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name EMERSOME ENTERPRISE, INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 606 MISSION CIRCLE
Aircraft Owner City IRVING
Aircraft Owner State TX
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 75063
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name AIR EXCHANGE, INC.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 7338 AVIATION PLACE
Operator City DALLAS
Operator State TX
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 75235
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate Yes - certificate holder
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 Non-scheduled
Indicates Domestic or International Flight Domestic
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail Cargo
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Unknown
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code SHV
Departure City SHREVEPORT
Departure State LA
Departure Country
Departure Time 2011
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code TYR
Destination City TYLER
Destination State TX
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Descent
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 34
Runway Length 4000
Runway Width 75
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --