Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Gettysburg, Pennsylvania 17325
Wednesday, April 19, 1989 13:00 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT CONTINUED THE CROSS-COUNTRY FLIGHT BEYOND THE ORIGINAL DESTINATION. SHORTLY THEREAFTER, A LOSS OF ENGINE POWER OCCURRED DUE TO FUEL EXHAUSTION. THE AIRPLANE WAS LANDED IN A WOODED AREA.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT'S POOR PREFLIGHT AND IN-FLIGHT PLANNING IN ELECTING TO CONTINUE THE FLIGHT BEYOND THE PLANNED DESTINATION WHICH RESULTED IN FUEL EXHAUSTION.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 4/19/1989
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 1300
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City GETTYSBURG
Event State PENNSYLVANIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 17325
Event Date Year 1989
Event Date Month 4
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 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 Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 5000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Unknown
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 25
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 16
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 320
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 10
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 --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1222
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Apr 19 1989 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1410
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 39471
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 12:37PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N8745D
NTSB Number NYC89LA122
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-22-160
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-22-160
Aircraft Serial Number 22-5927
Certified Max Gross Weight 2000
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 Feb 11 1989 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 19
Airframe Hours 2015
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name WILLIAM S CHANT
Aircraft Owner Street Address 20 WALNUT ST.
Aircraft Owner City BRATTLEBORO
Aircraft Owner State VT
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 05301
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name ROBERT D.UNDERWOOD
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address WEST MAINE ST. EXT.
Operator City RANDOLPH
Operator State NY
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 14772
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 EEN
Departure City KEENE
Departure State NH
Departure Country
Departure Time 930
Departure Time Zone EST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code GTY
Destination City GETTYSBURG
Destination State PA
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 --