Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Bethel, New York 12720
Thursday, March 9, 1989 20:45 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

DURING A NIGHT CROSS COUNTRY FLIGHT FROM MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA TO NEWBURGH, NEW YORK, THE AIRCRAFT RAN OUT OF FUEL AND BOTH ENGINES STOPPED RUNNING. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE AIRCRAFT CRASHED INTO TREES AS THE PILOT WAS MAKING AN EMERGENCY LANDING AT NIGHT. HE RPRTED THAT WHEN THE ENGINES STOPPED RUNNING, THE FUEL GAGES SHOWED THE AIRCRAFT STILL HAD FUEL REMAINING.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

IMPROPER PLANNING/DECISION BY THE PILOT CONCERNING HIS FUEL MANAGEMENT, WHICH RESULTED IN FUEL EXHAUSTION DUE TO AN INADEQUATE SUPPLY OF FUEL. THE FALSE INDICATION FROM THE FUEL QUANTITY GAGE(S), DARK NIGHT, AND TREES WERE CONSIDERED TO BE FACTORS.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 3/9/1989
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 2045
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City BETHEL
Event State NEW YORK
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 12720
Event Date Year 1989
Event Date Month 3
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 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 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
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) 4
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Minor
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 1
Injury Total None 4
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1496
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Mar 9 1989 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 2145
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 39841
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 12:32PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N2265X
NTSB Number NYC89LA098
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CESSNA
Aircraft Model 337
Aircraft Series Identifier 337
Aircraft Serial Number 337-0165
Certified Max Gross Weight 4200
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 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Nov 29 1988 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 4210
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name TACHNOLOGY SYSTEMS OF ROSEVILL
Aircraft Owner Street Address 599 CORDIGAN
Aircraft Owner City SHAREVIEW
Aircraft Owner State MA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 55126
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name TACHNOLOGY SYS.OF ROSEVILLE
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 1722 TERRACE DRIVE
Operator City ROSEVILLE
Operator State MN
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 55113
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
Departure City ANOKA
Departure State MN
Departure Country
Departure Time 1440
Departure Time Zone EST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code SWF
Destination City NEWBURGH
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 --