Wittman Field Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Oshkosh, Wisconsin 54901
Saturday, August 2, 1986 14:43 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE AIRCRAFT RAN OUT OF FUEL AFTER 3+41 HOURS OF FLIGHT. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE WAS SURE THE TANKS WERE FULL ON TAKEOFF. FLIGHT PLANNING AND A DOCUMENTED CONSERVATIVE FUEL BURN RATE INDICATED THAT THE AIRCRAFT SHOULD HAVE BEEN ABLE TO REMAIN AIRBORNE FOR AT LEAST 4+37 HOURS (13 GALLONS PER HOUR DIVIDED BY THE ACFT FUEL CAPACITY OF 60 GALLONS). AN EXAMINATION OF THE FUEL BLADDER CELLS REVEALED SEVERAL LOOSE RETAINING CLIPS AND GENERAL COLLAPSING AND DISTORTION OF BOTH CELLS. ACCORDING TO THE LOGBOOK THE AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVE TO REMEDY THIS PROBLEM WAS COMPLIED WITH 41 FLIGHT HOURS PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/2/1986
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1443
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City OSHKOSH
Event State WISCONSIN
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 54901
Event Date Year 1986
Event Date Month 8
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport WITTMAN FIELD
Event Location Nearest Airport ID OSH
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 1
Degrees magnetic from airport 90
Airport Elevation 805
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1445 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 270
Weather Observation Facility ID OSH
Elevation of weather observation facility 805
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 1
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 4000
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) 25
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 23
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 12
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 320
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 9
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 Serious
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 2
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1927
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Aug 4 1986 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1100
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 32403
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 9:14AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N5713P
NTSB Number CHI86FA194
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-24-250
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-24-250
Aircraft Serial Number 24-787
Certified Max Gross Weight 2800
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 May 7 1986 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 22
Airframe Hours 1523
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name JOHN S. HARTMAN
Aircraft Owner Street Address 75 SCOTLAND AVE.
Aircraft Owner City MADISON
Aircraft Owner State CT
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 06443
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) Personal
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code AGC
Departure City PITTSBURG
Departure State PA
Departure Country
Departure Time 1202
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code OSH
Destination City OSHKOSH
Destination State WI
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 27
Runway Length 6166
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --