Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Mansfield, Texas 76063
Sunday, August 9, 1987 18:45 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE STUDENT PILOT EXPERIENCED FUEL EXHAUSTION AND MADE A FORCED LANDING A FEW MILES SHORT OF HIS PLANNED DESTINATION. HIS PREFLIGHT TRIP PLANNING, WHICH WAS APPROVED BY HIS FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR, IF FOLLOWED CORRECTLY WOULD HAVE BEEN ADEQUATE FOR SUCCESSFUL COMPLETION OF THE PLANNED CROSS-COUNTRY FLIGHT. THIS PLAN CALLED FOR FULL FUEL UPON DEPARTURE AND A DIRECT FLIGHT FROM POINT TO POINT ALONG THE PLANNED ROUTE. AFTER THE ACCIDENT IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT HE HAD DEPARTED WITHOUT TOPPING THE FUEL TANKS WHICH WERE FILLED TO A TOTAL OF AT LEAST FIVE GALLONS LESS THAN THEIR COMBINED CAPACITY.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/9/1987
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1845
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City MANSFIELD
Event State TEXAS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 76063
Event Date Year 1987
Event Date Month 8
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 0
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1850 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 160
Weather Observation Facility ID FTW
Elevation of weather observation facility 710
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 20
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 5000
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) 37
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 19
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 130
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 13
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
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) 717
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Aug 9 1987 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1937
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 33918
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 2:43PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N6287G
NTSB Number FTW87LA191
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed VFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CESSNA
Aircraft Model 150K
Aircraft Series Identifier 150K
Aircraft Serial Number 15071787
Certified Max Gross Weight 1600
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 2
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Unknown
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name RICHARD LA BOURLAND
Aircraft Owner Street Address RT S. BOX 2472
Aircraft Owner City FT. WORTH
Aircraft Owner State TX
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 76126
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name RICHARD L. BOURLAND
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address RT. 5, BOX 247Z
Operator City FT.WORTH
Operator State TX
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 76126
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 No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code PRX
Departure City PARIS
Departure State TX
Departure Country
Departure Time 1715
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code S0F
Destination City FT. WORTH
Destination State TX
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 0
Runway Width 0
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --