Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Westerly, Rhode Island 02891
Thursday, August 31, 1989 13:30 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND DID NOT VISUAL CHECK THE FUEL IN THE FUEL TANKS BUT DETERMINED THAT THE RIGHT TANK WAS EMPTY AND THE LEFT TANK HAD 20 GALLONS REMAINING THROUGH THE FUEL TOTALIZER AND THE MECHANIC'S WORD. DURING A STEEP CLIMBOUT THE ENGINE MISSED AND THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND SELECTED LEFT TANK AND TURNED THE FUEL BOOST PUMP SWITCH ON. TEN MINUTES LATER THE ENGINE STOPPED COMPLETELY AND THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND WAS FORCED TO LAND IN THE OCEAN. THE AIRPLANE SANK AND WAS NOT RECOVERED.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND'S FAILURE TO PROPERLY ENSURE A SUFFICIENT QUANTITY OF FUEL FOR THE INTENDED FLIGHT.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/31/1989
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 1330
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City WESTERLY
Event State RHODE ISLAND
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 02891
Event Date Year 1989
Event Date Month 8
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) 20
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 29
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 270
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 25
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 30
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 3
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2342
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Aug 31 1989 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1402
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 42415
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 12:59PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N873PJ
NTSB Number NYC89LA205
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 210N
Aircraft Series Identifier 210N
Aircraft Serial Number 210064769
Certified Max Gross Weight 3800
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 Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Aug 25 1989 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 1
Airframe Hours 750
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name NICHOLAS A. HEINEMAN
Aircraft Owner Street Address 32 CIDER MILL RD
Aircraft Owner City STANFORD
Aircraft Owner State CT
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 06903
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 BID
Departure City BLOCK ISLAND
Departure State RI
Departure Country
Departure Time 1315
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code WST
Destination City WESTERLY
Destination State RI
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 --