Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Elgin, Texas 78621
Friday, June 10, 1988 8:41 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT RADIOED THAT HE WAS RUNNING OUT OF FUEL WHILE BEING VECTORED FOR LANDING. THE CEILING WAS ABOUT 900 FEET WITH 5 MILES VISIBILITY AND THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED IN A LEVEL GRASS FIELD. WITNESSES HEARD THE ENGINE CUTTING OUT AND A LOSS OF CONTROL OCCURRED BEFORE THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED THE GROUND. THE FLIGHT PLAN SHOWED 4.5 HOURS OF FUEL AND THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED ABOUT 3 HOURS AFTER TAKEOFF. RAW FUEL BURNS IN THE GRASS AT THE CRASH SITE SHOWED THAT FUEL EXHAUSTION DID NOT OCCUR. NO RECORD WAS FOUND THAT THE PILOT HAD SATISFACTORILY COMPLETED A BIENNIAL FLIGHT REVIEW WITHIN THE PAST 2 YEARS. HIS LOGBOOK SHOWED THAT HE HAD 5 HOURS ACTUAL OR SIMULATED INSTRUMENT FLIGHT TIME WITHIN THE PAST 6 MONTHS. POST ACC INVEST REVEALED THAT THE FUEL SELECTOR WAS ON THE RT TANK AND THE RT TANK CONTAINED NO FUEL WITH NO EVIDENCE OF FUEL LEAKAGE.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 6/10/1988
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 841
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City ELGIN
Event State TEXAS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 78621
Event Date Year 1988
Event Date Month 6
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 --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 840 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 275
Weather Observation Facility ID AUS
Elevation of weather observation facility 632
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 14
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 900
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 5
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 25
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 22
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 40
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) 30
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal 4
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 4
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 871
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jun 10 1988 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 924
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 36835
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 11:50AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N8181Z
NTSB Number FTW88FA119
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed VFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CESSNA
Aircraft Model 205
Aircraft Series Identifier 205
Aircraft Serial Number 205 0181
Certified Max Gross Weight 3300
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 6
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Apr 19 1988 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 3004
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name CHRISTOPHER, V.S.
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 314
Aircraft Owner City BOOKER
Aircraft Owner State TX
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 79005
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name CHRISTOPHER, VIJJESWARAPU S.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address PO BOX 314
Operator City BOOKER
Operator State TX
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 79005
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 No
Departure Airport Code PYX
Departure City PERRYTON
Departure State TX
Departure Country
Departure Time 0
Departure Time Zone
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code AUS
Destination City AUSTIN
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 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --