Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Albany, New York 12211
Friday, January 13, 1989 19:00 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE ACFT COLLIDED WITH TREES AND TERRAIN, NEAR THE LAKESHORE VILLAGE APARTMENTS IN ALBANY, NY. THE PILOT, SOLE OCCUPANT, WAS NOT INJURED, HOWEVER, THE AIRCRAFT RECEIVING SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. THE PILOT SAID HE RAN OUT OF GAS BUT WAS AT A LOSS AS TO WHY, AFTER ONLY 4 HOURS OF FLIGHT.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

FUEL EXHAUSTION RESULTING FROM THE PILOT'S INADEQUATE IN-FLIGHT PLANNING AND MISJUDGED FUEL CONSUMPTION.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 1/13/1989
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1900
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City ALBANY
Event State NEW YORK
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 12211
Event Date Year 1989
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 ALB
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 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 Night/Dark
Lowest Ceiling Height 3500
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 3500
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) 20
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) -1
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -7
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 320
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 20
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 30
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
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) 78
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jan 13 1989 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1945
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 38272
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 N2361K
NTSB Number NYC89LA065
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 PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-38-112
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-38-112
Aircraft Serial Number 38-79A0591
Certified Max Gross Weight 1670
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 Annual
Date of Last Inspection Mar 12 1988 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 104
Airframe Hours 1542
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name THOMAS F. ZIMMIE
Aircraft Owner Street Address 39 ZELENKE DRIVE
Aircraft Owner City TROY
Aircraft Owner State NY
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 12180
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
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 GAI
Departure City GAITHERSBURG
Departure State MD
Departure Country
Departure Time 1500
Departure Time Zone EST
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code ALB
Destination City ALBANY
Destination State NY
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 0
Runway Width 0
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --