Laredo Int'l Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Laredo, Texas 78043
Saturday, October 21, 1989 21:38 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

ACFT EXPERIENCED A DOUBLE ENGINE FAILURE DUE TO FUEL EXHAUSTION AT THE END OF A NIGHT CROSS COUNTRY FLIGHT. DURING THE ENSUING FORCED LANDING, THE ACFT STRUCK WIRES PARALLEL TO THE INTERSTATE THAT THE PLT WAS ATTEMPTING TO LAND ON, THE PLT STATED THAT HIS PREFLIGHT AND INFLIGHT FUEL CONSUMPTION CALCULATIONS INDICATED THAT HE WOULD ARRIVE AT HIS DESTINATION WITH A 19 GALLON RESERVE. EXAMINATION OF THE ACFT REVEALED ONLY UNUSABLE FUEL ON BOARD AND THE LEFT AND RIGHT (FRONT AND REAR) FUEL GAUGES INDICATED ZERO AND 10 GALLONS RESPECTIVELY. DARK NIGHT CONDITIONS EXISTED FOR THE FORCED LANDING.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

DOUBLE ENGINE FAILURE DUE TO FUEL EXHAUSTION. THE FUEL EXHAUSTION WAS CAUSED BY INCORRECT INFLIGHT FUEL CONSUMPTION CALCULATIONS AND ONE INACCURATE FUEL QUANITY GAUGE. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE DARK NIGHT RESTRICTION TO VISIBILITY.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 10/21/1989
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 2138
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City LAREDO
Event State TEXAS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 78043
Event Date Year 1989
Event Date Month 10
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport LAREDO INT'L
Event Location Nearest Airport ID LRD
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 5
Degrees magnetic from airport 360
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 2139 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 180
Weather Observation Facility ID LRD
Elevation of weather observation facility 508
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 5
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Night/Dark
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 25000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
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) 22
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 7
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 120
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 7
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
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 4
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1927
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Oct 21 1989 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 2145
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 41057
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 1:08PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N21GC
NTSB Number FTW90LA014
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 CESSNA
Aircraft Model T-337G-P
Aircraft Series Identifier T-337G-P
Aircraft Serial Number P3370130
Certified Max Gross Weight 4700
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 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Nov 9 1988 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 141
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name STANLEY, WILLIAM
Aircraft Owner Street Address HIGHWAY 359
Aircraft Owner City LAREDO
Aircraft Owner State TX
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) Business
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code OLS
Departure City NOGALES
Departure State AZ
Departure Country
Departure Time 1700
Departure Time Zone MDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code LRD
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Descent
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:30AM
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 --