Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Danielsville, Georgia 30633
Sunday, December 24, 1989 15:55 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PLT STATED THAT DRG FLT, HE NOTED A SLIGHT ODOR OF FUEL & OPENED THE VENTS TO ALLOW FRESH AIR IN THE CABIN. AS HE WAS ARRIVING TO LAND AT THE DESTN ARPT, THE ENG LOST POWER AT ABOUT 2200' AGL. HE SELECTED AN EMERG LANDING AREA. AFTER ASSURING CLNC OVER TREES, HE TRIED TO EXTD THE LNDG GEAR WITH THE NORMAL (ELEC) EXTN SYS, BUT WAS UNABLE. HE STARTED TO USE THE EMERG GEAR EXTN SYS, BUT THERE WAS INSUFFICIENT TIME, SO HE MADE A WHEELS UP LNDG. NO PREIMPACT PART FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION OF THE ACFT OR ENG WAS FOUND. ACCORDING TO THE PLT, HIS INSTRUMENTS SHOWED FUEL WAS STILL REMAINING WHEN THE ENG LOST POWER; HOWEVER, NO USABLE FUEL WAS FOUND IN THE ACFT AFTER THE ACDNT. THE PLT STATED THAT THE ACFT WAS 'TOPPED OFF' WITH FUEL BEFORE THE FLT & HE ESTIMATED 11.7 GAL OF FUEL OR MORE WOULD BE REMAINING WHEN HE ARRIVED AT THE DESTN. THE ACFT'S FUEL CAPACITY WAS 60 GAL WITH THE TANKS FILLED TO THE TOP OF THE FILLER NECKS. RPRTDLY, THE FUEL SYS WOULD HAVE HAD ABOUT 10 GAL LESS THAN A FULL LOAD, IF THE TANKS HAD BEEN FILLED TO THE BOTTOM OF THE FILLER NECKS.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

INADEQUATE PREFLIGHT PREPARATION/PLANNING BY THE PILOT, BY NOT ASSURING AN ADEQUATE SUPPLY OF FUEL, WHICH RESULTED IN FUEL EXHAUSTION. RELATED FACTORS WERE: A FALSE FUEL QUANTITY INDICATION, TREES IN THE EMERGENCY LANDING AREA, AND FAILURE OF THE LANDING GEAR TO EXTEND (FOR AN UNKNOWN REASON).

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 12/24/1989
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1555
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City DANIELSVILLE
Event State GEORGIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 30633
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
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 Unknown
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 15000
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) 20
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 1
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -18
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 290
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) --
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 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1476
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Dec 24 1989 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1720
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 39821
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 1:15PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N5556P
NTSB Number ATL90LA044
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
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-24
Aircraft Serial Number 24620
Certified Max Gross Weight 2160
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 4 1989 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 20
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name MORRIS JAMES HANSON
Aircraft Owner Street Address 105 LAKESIDE DRIVE
Aircraft Owner City STANTON
Aircraft Owner State MI
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 48888
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name MORRIS J. HANSEN
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 105 LAKESIDE DRIVE
Operator City STANTON
Operator State MI
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 48888
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
Departure City COLDWATER
Departure State MI
Departure Country
Departure Time 1245
Departure Time Zone EST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code
Destination City ATHENS
Destination State GA
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 --