Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Pepperell, Massachusetts 01463
Saturday, October 24, 1987 17:50 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

A STUDENT PILOT ON A CROSS COUNTRY TRAINING FLIGHT EXPERIENCED FUEL EXHAUSTION AT ABOUT 3500 FEET. THE PILOT STATED THAT WHEN THE ENGINE LOST POWER HE CONTACTED APPROACH CONTROL ON 121.5 BUT DID NOT HAVE SUFFICIENT ALTITUDE TO MAKE IT TO AN AIRPORT. THE AIRCRAFT MADE A FORCED LANDING IN A CORN FIELD. THE ACFT FUEL TANKS HOLD 24.5 GALS OF USEABLE FUEL. THE ACFT BURNS 6 GPH AT 2400 RPM AT 4000 FT. MANY FACTORS CAN ALTER FUEL CONSUMPTION SUCH AS LEANING TECHNIQUE AND CONDITION OF ENGINE. THIS ENG HAD 1372 HOURS FLT TIME. ON THIS FLT THE PLT FLEW 4 PLUS HRS PRIOR TO THE LOSS OF POWER.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 10/24/1987
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1750
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City PEPPERELL
Event State MASSACHUSETTS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 01463
Event Date Year 1987
Event Date Month 10
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 Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Pilot
Time of the weather observation 2145
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID BED
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation
Lighting Conditions Dusk
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) 6
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) --
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 250
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 17
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
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) 2549
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Oct 24 1987 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 2020
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 37210
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 2:56PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N310DW
NTSB Number NYC88LA015
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 152
Aircraft Series Identifier 152
Aircraft Serial Number 15285761
Certified Max Gross Weight 1670
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 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Oct 6 1987 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 1373
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name DANIEL WEBSTER COLLEGE
Aircraft Owner Street Address
Aircraft Owner City NASHUA
Aircraft Owner State NH
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 03244
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) Instructional
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code ALB
Departure City ALBANY
Departure State NY
Departure Country
Departure Time 1630
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code ASH
Destination City NASHUA
Destination State NH
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Dec 9 2002 10:26AM
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 --