Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Akron, New York 14001
Sunday, July 9, 1989 19:54 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT WAS ON A RETURN FLIGHT TO NORTH BUFFALO SUBURBAN AIRPORT IN LOCKPORT, NEW YORK AFTER STAYING OVER NIGHT IN ONEONTA, NEW YORK. THE FUEL SELECTOR WAS IN THE LEFT TANK POSITION, WHEN THE ENGINE STARTED TO RUN ROUGH. THE PILOT SWITCHED TO THE RIGHT TANK AND CONTACTED BUFFALO APPROACH FOR VECTORS TO NEAREST AIRPORT. THE AIRCRAFT DID NOT REACH THE AIRPORT. WHEN IT WAS LANDED IN A CULTIVATED FIELD, THE NOSE WHEEL DUG INTO DIRT AND THE AIRCRAFT NOSED OVER. AN EXAM REVEALED THERE WAS LESS THAN A CUP OF FUEL REMAINING IN THE FUEL SYSTEM.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

IMPROPER PLANNING/DECISION BY THE PILOT, WHICH RESULTED IN FUEL EXHAUSTION, DUE TO AN INADEQUATE SUPPLY OF FUEL. A FACTOR RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WAS: SOFT TERRAIN IN THE EMERGENCY LANDING AREA.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/9/1989
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1954
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City AKRON
Event State NEW YORK
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 14001
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 Unknown
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 Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Unknown
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) 24
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 17
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 250
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 12
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) 0
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) 1600
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jul 9 1989 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 2300
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 40486
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 12:53PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Unknown
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N3154T
NTSB Number NYC89LA159
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 CESSNA
Aircraft Model 177A
Aircraft Series Identifier 177A
Aircraft Serial Number 17700454
Certified Max Gross Weight 2500
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 Jul 27 1988 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 78
Airframe Hours 3081
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name HOWARD R. FINCH, JR.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 6729 HATTER ROAD
Aircraft Owner City NEWFANE
Aircraft Owner State NY
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode
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 N66
Departure City ONEONTA
Departure State NY
Departure Country
Departure Time 1835
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code 0G0
Destination City LOCKPORT
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 --