Cox-Dayton International Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Tipp City, Ohio 45371
Tuesady, February 21, 1989 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

PIC HAD NOT FLOWN FOR 10 YRS. BOUGHT ACFT & FLEW ON FAMILY VACATION FOR TWO DAYS & HEADED HOME. AT REFUEL STOP CHECKED WX & NOTED LOW CEILINGS AT DESTINATION. PIC FLEW TO DESTINATION TERMINAL AREA, OBTAINED WX FROM ATC & REQUESTED VOR APPROACH. ACFT NOT EQUIPPED FOR APPROACH. ACFT ALSO NOT IFR CERTIFIED & NAV INSTRUMENTS WERE NOT CHECKED FOR CORRECT OPERATION. PIC FLEW IN IMC ABOUT TWO HOURS, EXECUTING SEVEN UNSUCCESSFUL APPROACHES; VOR, LOC, AND ILS. FUEL WAS EVENTUALLY EXHAUSTED & ACFT CRASHED ABOUT 1 MILE FROM THE RUNWAY THRESHOLD.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

IMPROPER PLANNING BY THE PILOT RESULTING IN FUEL EXHAUSTION. THE PILOTS LACK OF EQUIPMENT AND ABILITY TO HANDLE THE WEATHER SITUATION WAS IGNORED BY THE PILOT IN HIS PLANNING FOR THE FLIGHT.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 2/21/1989
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 24
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City TIPP CITY
Event State OHIO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 45371
Event Date Year 1989
Event Date Month 2
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport COX-DAYTON INTERNATIONAL
Event Location Nearest Airport ID DAY
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 2
Degrees magnetic from airport 60
Airport Elevation 1009
Weather Briefing Completeness Partial - limited by pilot
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 36 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 60
Weather Observation Facility ID DAY
Elevation of weather observation facility 1009
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 1
Time Zone of the weather observation EST
Lighting Conditions Night/Dark
Lowest Ceiling Height 200
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) 1
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 4
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 4
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 170
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 7
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) 0
Intensity of Precipitation Light
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Serious
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 2
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 511
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Feb 21 1989 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 730
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 39011
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 12:27PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N1139X
NTSB Number ATL89FA090
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-28R-200
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-28R-200
Aircraft Serial Number 28R-7535251
Certified Max Gross Weight 2650
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 Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Dec 3 1988 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 27
Airframe Hours 2398
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name THEODORE H. WOOD, JR.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 5680 LAWRENCEBURG ROAD
Aircraft Owner City HARRISON
Aircraft Owner State OH
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 45030
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 2G9
Departure City SOMERSET
Departure State PA
Departure Country
Departure Time 1940
Departure Time Zone EST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code I67
Destination City HARRISON
Destination State OH
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 24
Runway Length 9500
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --