Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Southern Comforts Aerodrome Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Parkton, North Carolina 28371
Sunday, January 7, 2001 13:40 EST
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The flight departed with approximately 20 gallons of fuel in each fuel tank and offloaded skydivers at 10,500 feet, then descended to return with the throttle at idle, the fuel/air ratio leaned; and carburetor heat applied. At 2,000 feet, the pilot began to level off and, "realized I was having engine trouble and began my emergency procedures for an engine failure at altitude...." He checked the position of the fuel selector valve which was in the same position it was selected for takeoff, "both on." He positioned the fuel selector to the left, right, and both positions with negative results, and also checked "my ignition and check all fuses." He was unable to start the engine and performed a forced landing in a field. Before touchdown he turned off the fuel selector valve; after touchdown, the airplane nosed over. The fuel strainer was empty when examined by a mechanic approximately 45 minutes after the accident. Examination of the airplane by an FAA inspector approximately 24 hours after the accident revealed the flexible hose from the fuel strainer to the carburetor contained a slight amount of fuel (capful). No discrepancies with the fuel strainer, ignition, or vent systems noted. Following release by the FAA for recovery, the carburetor was removed and no fuel spray noted from the accelerator pump discharge nozzle when the throttle was activated. The fuel flow rate through the fuel selector valve was less with the fuel selector valve positioned to the right tank than with the valve positioned to the left or both positions. Disassembly of the fuel selector valve revealed no evidence of debris or wear; no determination was made as to the reason for the low fuel flow rate with the fuel selector positioned to the "right" position. Historical uneven fuel consumption greater from the left tank was noted while operating the airplane in skydiving operations that involve mainly climbs and descents. After repairs, the engine was placed on the airframe and operated with no discrepancies noted. Post accident testing with an exemplar carburetor, the accident fuel strainer and flexible hose from the fuel strainer to the carburetor with the assembly placed inverted revealed the carburetor leaks fluid to a certain level but fluid remains in the bowl. Additionally, with the assembly inverted and the carburetor bowl empty but fluid in the fuel strainer and flexible line, fluid does not flow into the carburetor bowl. The fuel selector valve was repaired last on March 18, 1977, in which an o-ring on the fuel selector shaft was replaced.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The loss of engine power during a normal descent due to fuel starvation for undetermined reasons.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 1/7/2001 |
| Event Day of the Week | Sunday |
| Time of Event | 1340 |
| Event Time Zone | Eastern Standard Time |
| Event City | Parkton |
| Event State | NORTH CAROLINA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 28371 |
| Event Date Year | 2001 |
| Event Date Month | 1 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | -- |
| Event Location Longitude | -- |
| Event Location Airport | Southern Comforts Aerodrome |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | 35W |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | Off Airport/Airstrip |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | 0.75 |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | -- |
| Airport Elevation | -- |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | Not pertinent |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1353 Eastern Standard Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | -- |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | KFAY |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 190 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | -- |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | EST |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | -- |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | -- |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Clear |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | None |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | -- |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | -- |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 10 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 12 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | -2 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 240 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 10 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 29.92 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | -- |
| Event Highest Injury | None |
| On Ground, Fatal Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Minor Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Serious Injuries | -- |
| Injury Total Fatal | -- |
| Injury Total Minor | -- |
| Injury Total None | 1 |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | -- |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 10585 |
| NTSB Notification Source | Atlanta Comm Center |
| NTSB Notification Date | Jan 7 2001 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 1419 |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | IMAGE |
| Date of most recent change to record | Sep 27 2001 3:26PM |
| User who most recently changed record | NTSB\MONR |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | Greensboro, NC |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N5883B |
| NTSB Number | MIA01LA059 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | None |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | No |
| Damage | Substantial |
| Aircraft Fire | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | Cessna |
| Aircraft Model | 182A |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 33883 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 2650 |
| 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 | 1 |
| Number of Engines | 1 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Fixed |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | 100 Hour |
| Date of Last Inspection | Dec 27 2000 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 11 |
| Airframe Hours | 5951 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | Yes |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | Ralph E. Rigby |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 7133 Barnwell Place |
| Aircraft Owner City | Fayetteville |
| Aircraft Owner State | NC |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 28303 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | Airanch Skydivers |
| Operator Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Street Address | 1845 Middle Road |
| Operator City | Fayetteville |
| Operator State | NC |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 28301 |
| Operator Code | -- |
| Owner has at least one certificate | None |
| Other Operator of large aircraft? | -- |
| Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation | -- |
| 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) | Skydiving |
| Second Pilot on Board | No |
| Departure Point Same as Event | Yes |
| Departure Airport Code | 35W |
| Departure City | Parkton |
| Departure State | NC |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1320 |
| Departure Time Zone | EST |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere |
| Destination Airport Code | -- |
| Destination City | -- |
| Destination State | -- |
| Destination Country | -- |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Landing |
| Report sent to ICAO? | No |
| Evacuation occurred | No |
| Date of most recent change to record | Dec 10 2014 1:05PM |
| User who most recently changed record | broda |
| Since inspection or accident | Time of Accident |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | -- |
| Runway Length | -- |
| Runway Width | -- |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |