Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Cluster Springs, Virginia 24535
Sunday, July 23, 1989 13:40 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE STU PILOT WAS EN ROUTE WHEN SHE RADIOED THE ENGINE WAS LOSING POWER. ACCORDING TO ANOTHER PLT, THE STU PLT SOUNDED PANIC-STRIKEN DURING THE TRANSMISSION. THE ACFT CRASHED INTO A SMALL POND, SURROUNDED BY AN OPEN FIELD. DAMAGE TO THE ACFT, INDICATED THE ACFT STRUCK THE POND IN A STEEP NOSE DOWN ATTITUDE. EXAMINATION OF THE ACFT DID NOT REVEAL EVIDENCE OF MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION. INSPECTION OF THE LEFT WING SURFACE BEHIND THE FUEL TANK FILLER NECK, INDICATED THE FUEL CAP WAS UNFASTENED AND LAYING ON THE WING INFLIGHT. A FLIGHT TEST IN A SIMILAR ACFT WITH AN UNFASTENED LEFT FUEL CAP REVEALED THE CAP MOVED AFT AND WAS HELD BY ITS CHAIN. DURING THE TEST, FUEL SIPHONED FROM THE LEFT FUEL TANK. FUEL PERFORMANCE CALCULATIONS INDICATED THE ACFT WOULD HAVE USED UP TO 13 GAL DURING THE FLIGHT. IT HAD A 30 GAL FUEL CAPACITY, 15 GAL PER TANK.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO PERFORM AN ADEQUATE PREFLIGHT WHICH RESULTED IN AN UNLATCHED FUEL FILLER CAP. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MONITOR THE FUEL SUPPLY DURING THE FLIGHT.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/23/1989
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1340
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City CLUSTER SPRINGS
Event State VIRGINIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 24535
Event Date Year 1989
Event Date Month 7
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 Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1350 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID RDU
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 3700
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 15
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 31
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 22
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 270
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 6
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 0
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal 1
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2109
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jul 23 1989 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1500
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 41606
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 12:50PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N18257
NTSB Number BFO89FA062
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed VFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name BEECH
Aircraft Model 77
Aircraft Series Identifier 77
Aircraft Serial Number WA-298
Certified Max Gross Weight 1675
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 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection May 22 1989 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 78
Airframe Hours 3884
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name PIEDMONT AVIATION SERVICE
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 525
Aircraft Owner City WINSTON-SALEM
Aircraft Owner State NC
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 27102
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name PIEDMONT AVIATION SERVICES INC
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address NORFOLK INTL AIRPORT
Operator City NORFOLK
Operator State VA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 23502
Operator Code PIQR
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 --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Instructional
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code ORF
Departure City NORFOLK
Departure State VA
Departure Country
Departure Time 1200
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code
Destination City SOUTH BOSTON
Destination State VA
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 --