Bandon State Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Bandon, Oregon 97411
Thursday, May 2, 1985 18:36 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PLT WAS FERRYING THE ACFT TO BANDON TO HAVE THE LANDING GEAR REPAIRED. THE FLT WAS MADE WITH THE GEAR SECURED IN THE DOWN POSITION. THE ACFT HAD LOCKING FUEL CAPS & THE PLT DID NOT VISUALLY CHECK THE FUEL LEVEL BEFORE TAKING OFF; INSTEAD, HE RELIED OF THE FUEL GAGES. DURING FLT, THE PLT USED FUEL FROM THE LEFT TANK THEN SWITCH TO THE RIGHT TANK WHICH INDICATED ABOUT 1/2 FULL. A SHORT TIME LATER, AS THE ACFT WAS APPROACHING THE DESTINATION ARPT, THE ENG LOST POWER FROM FUEL EXHAUSTION. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE ACFT WAS DAMAGED DURING AN EMERGENCY LANDING JUST SHORT OF THE RWY.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/2/1985
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 1836
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City BANDON
Event State OREGON
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 97411
Event Date Year 1985
Event Date Month 5
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport BANDON STATE
Event Location Nearest Airport ID S05
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 340
Airport Elevation 114
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 6000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 1500
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
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) 12
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 180
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 15
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 20
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 1
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 479
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date May 2 1985 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1900
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 27764
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 9:15AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N5543
NTSB Number SEA85LA101
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-24-250
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-24-250
Aircraft Serial Number 24-607
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 4 1984 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 2430
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name DUNES AVIATION
Aircraft Owner Street Address BOX 239
Aircraft Owner City FLORENCE
Aircraft Owner State OR
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 97439
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) Ferry
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code 6S2
Departure City FLORENCE
Departure State OR
Departure Country
Departure Time 1535
Departure Time Zone PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code S05
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:36AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 16
Runway Length 2600
Runway Width 50
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --