Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Hickory, North Carolina 28609
Saturday, September 2, 1989 13:40 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE AIRPLANE LOST ENGINE POWER DURING CRUISE FLIGHT FOLLOWED BY A FORCED LANDING ON A HIGHWAY ABOUT SEVEN MILES FROM THE DESTINATION AIRPORT. DURING THE LANDING ROLL THE RIGHT WING COLLIDED WITH A FENCE POST. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT HE HAD MADE THE TRIP PREVIOUSLY WITHOUT REFUELING. HE ALSO STATED THAT THE ENGINE CONSUMED 11.4 GALLONS OF FUEL PER HOUR. EXAMINATION OF THE AIRPLANE REVEALED THAT THE FUEL TANKS WERE EMPTY WITH NO FUEL STAINS NOTED ON THE WINGS. THE OPERATOR'S MANUAL FOR THE ENGINE INDICATED THAT THE ANTICIPATED FUEL CONSUMPTION WAS HIGHER THAN THE PILOT'S EXPECTATIONS.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

PILOT'S FAILURE TO ADEQUATELY MONITOR THE ENGINE FUEL CONSUMPTION IN FLIGHT.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/2/1989
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1340
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City HICKORY
Event State NORTH CAROLINA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 28609
Event Date Year 1989
Event Date Month 9
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 --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 1189
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1255 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID HKY
Elevation of weather observation facility 1189
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 315
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 25000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 3000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 30
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 29
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 19
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 150
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) 3000
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 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1870
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Sep 2 1989 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1530
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 40958
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 1:02PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N5210P
NTSB Number ATL89LA206
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-24-250
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-24-250
Aircraft Serial Number 24-235
Certified Max Gross Weight 2900
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 Mar 2 1989 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 29
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name WILLIAM C. WITCHER, JR.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 2141 S.W. 23RD AVENUE
Aircraft Owner City FT. LAUDERDALE
Aircraft Owner State FL
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 33312
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 FXE
Departure City FT LAUDERDALE
Departure State FL
Departure Country
Departure Time 0
Departure Time Zone
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code HKY
Destination City
Destination State
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 --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --