Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Moab, Utah 84532
Saturday, June 10, 1989 16:00 MDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE COMMERCIAL PLT HAD FLOWN 3 HRS & WAS STARTING THE LAST LEG OF A PART 135 PASSENGER FLT. HE SAID HE DID NOT FEEL COMFORTABLE WITH THE FUEL GAUGE READINGS. HE DISCUSSED THE PROBLEM WITH THE CHIEF PLT/OPERATOR & WAS TOLD TO PROCEED TO MOAB. THE PLT SAID THE CHIEF PLT DID NOT LOOK AT THE GAUGES. HE WAS ALSO TOLD THAT THE FLAPS ON THIS ACFT DID NOT RETRACT COMPLETELY. THE PLT SAID THAT AFTER 30 MIN OF FLT, THE ENG LOST POWER. A PASSENGER THAT WAS ABOARD THE ACFT SAID SHE HEARD THE PLT RADIO THAT THE ACFT WAS OUT OF FUEL & THAT HE WAS MAKING A FORCED LANDING. THE PLT SELECTED A DIRT ROAD IN ROUGH TERRAIN (APRX 5 MI SW OF THE DESTN). DRG THE LANDING ROLL, THE LANDING GEAR COLLAPSED & THE RGT WING STRUCK A TREE. ANOTHER COMPANY PLT FLEW OVER THE DOWNED ACFT & COORDINATED RESCUE EFFORTS. BEFORE THE PLANE WAS RECOVERED, 6.1 GAL OF FUEL WAS DRAINED FROM THE FUEL TANKS. THE ACFT FLT MANUAL STATED THAT EACH OF THE 2 TANKS CONTAINED 3 GAL OF UNUSABLE FUEL.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO REFUEL THE AIRCRAFT BEFORE THE FLIGHT AND COMPANY INDUCED PRESSURE BY THE COMPANY/OPERATOR MANAGEMENT, WHICH RESULTED IN FUEL EXHAUSTION FROM A LACK OF FUEL. THE TERRAIN CONDITIONS AND THE TREE WERE CONSIDERED TO BE CONTRIBUTING FACTORS.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 6/10/1989
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1600
Event Time Zone Mountain Daylight Time
Event City MOAB
Event State UTAH
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 84532
Event Date Year 1989
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 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 Day
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) 50
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 29
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Variable
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Light and Variable
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
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 4
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1026
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jun 10 1989 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1749
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 39232
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 12:45PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N92299
NTSB Number DEN89LA137
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter
Type of Flight Plan filed Company VFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CESSNA
Aircraft Model 182
Aircraft Series Identifier 182
Aircraft Serial Number 182-60138
Certified Max Gross Weight 2950
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 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Sep 1 1988 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 32
Airframe Hours 5523
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name REDTAIL AVIATION INC
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 606
Aircraft Owner City GREEN RIVER
Aircraft Owner State UT
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 64525
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name REDTAIL AVIATION
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address PO BOX 606
Operator City GREEN RIVER
Operator State UT
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 84525
Operator Code DZDA
Owner has at least one certificate Yes - certificate holder
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 Non-scheduled
Indicates Domestic or International Flight Domestic
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail Passenger Only
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Unknown
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code NONE
Departure City HITE
Departure State UT
Departure Country
Departure Time 1530
Departure Time Zone MDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code CNY
Destination City MOAB
Destination State UT
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 --