Mckeller Field Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Jackson, Tennessee 38302
Sunday, December 3, 1989 12:30 CST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOTS WERE CONDUCTING INSTRUMENT FLIGHT TRAINING & THE ACFT WAS OVER THE VOR WHEN THE LEFT ENGINE LOST POWER. THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR (CFI) ASSUMED CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE & ATTEMPTED TO RESTORE THE POWER, BUT WAS UNABLE. SHORTLY THEREAFTER, THE RIGHT ENGINE QUIT. THE CFI TRIED TO MAKE AN EMERGENCY LANDING ON THE AIRPORT, BUT WAS UNABLE TO REACH THE SELECTED RUNWAY. THE ACFT TOUCHED DOWN ON SOFT TERRAIN SHORT OF RUNWAY 20 & WAS DAMAGED. AN EXAM OF THE ACFT REVEALED NO MECHANICAL PROBLEMS WHICH WOULD HAVE PREVENTED NORMAL OPERATION OF THE ENGINE OR ACFT SYSTEMS. BOTH ENGINES OPERATED NORMALLY DURING A POST-ACCIDENT CHECK. THE TEMPERATURE & DEW POINT WERE 30 & 7 DEGREES, RESPECTIVELY. ACCORDING TO CARBURETOR ICING CHARTS, CARBURETOR ICING WAS NOT PROBABLE.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

LOSS OF POWER IN BOTH ENGINES (PROBABLE FUEL STARVATION) DUE TO IMPROPER PLANNING/DECISION BY THE PILOT(S), AND LACK OF SUPERVISION BY THE INSTRUCTOR. SOFT TERRAIN IN THE EMERGENCY LANDING AREA WAS CONSIDERED TO BE A FACTOR.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 12/3/1989
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1230
Event Time Zone Central Standard Time
Event City JACKSON
Event State TENNESSEE
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 38302
Event Date Year 1989
Event Date Month 12
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport MCKELLER FIELD
Event Location Nearest Airport ID MKL
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 433
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) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) -18
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -18
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 320
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 7
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
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 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) 1499
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Dec 5 1989 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 900
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 39844
Date of most recent change to record Dec 18 2002 11:28AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\GIUV
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N1361P
NTSB Number ATL90LA034
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-23-150
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-23-150
Aircraft Serial Number 23410
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 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Nov 16 1989 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 36
Airframe Hours 6750
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name BOLIVAR AIRCRAFT SACES
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 229
Aircraft Owner City BOLIVAR
Aircraft Owner State TN
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 38008
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name BOLIVAR AIRCRAFT SALES
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address P.O. BOX 229
Operator City BOLIVAR
Operator State TN
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 38008
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) Instructional
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code
Departure City BOLIVAR
Departure State TN
Departure Country
Departure Time 1130
Departure Time Zone EST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code
Destination City JACKSON
Destination State TN
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
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 20
Runway Length 6008
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --