Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Palmyra, Virginia 22963
Saturday, September 2, 1989 17:40 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE ACFT TOOK OFF, TURNED RIGHT, AND THEN THE ENGINE LOST POWER. THE ACFT LANDED HARD, CAUSING SEPARATION OF THE TAILBOOM. EXAMINATION OF THE ACFT REVEALED THE FUEL TANKS WERE EMPTY. THE PASSENGER STATED THE FUEL GAGES READ LESS THAN ONE-QUARTER FULL AT THE TIME OF TAKEOFF.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

INADEQUATE PREFLIGHT BY THE PILOT, AND FUEL EXHAUSTION DUE TO AN INADEQUATE SUPPLY OF FUEL.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/2/1989
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1740
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City PALMYRA
Event State VIRGINIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 22963
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 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Witness
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) 0
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) --
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Calm
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) 0
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Serious
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 2
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency FAA
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2239
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Sep 2 1989 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1830
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 42000
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 N27TB
NTSB Number BFO89DID02
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 ROTORWAY
Aircraft Model EXEC
Aircraft Series Identifier EXEC
Aircraft Serial Number 3273
Certified Max Gross Weight 1320
Aircraft Category Helicopter
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? Yes
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 Annual
Date of Last Inspection Sep 23 1987 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 49
Airframe Hours 140
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name THOMAS W. BRYAN
Aircraft Owner Street Address 7 ALMAR AVENUE
Aircraft Owner City NEPTUNE
Aircraft Owner State NJ
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 07753
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 Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1740
Departure Time Zone EST
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code
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 --