Clover Field Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Pearland, Texas 77581
Friday, April 6, 2001 19:30 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot returned to his home base after a banner towing flight. He experienced difficulty releasing the banner and landed on the grass between two runways. He dragged the banner on the ground and it eventually released; however, he was too close to the end of the runway to stop, so he performed a go-around. While he was in the traffic pattern, "he ran out of fuel" and the engine "quit." The pilot was unable to make it back to the runway and elected to make a forced landing into trees in a residential area. Subsequently, the airplane impacted the trees.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

the pilot's failure to refuel the airplane, which resulted in fuel exhaustion while in the traffic pattern.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 4/6/2001
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1930
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City Pearland
Event State TEXAS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 77581
Event Date Year 2001
Event Date Month 4
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude --
Event Location Longitude --
Event Location Airport Clover Field
Event Location Nearest Airport ID LVJ
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 0.25
Degrees magnetic from airport 360
Airport Elevation 44
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Pilot
Time of the weather observation
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) --
Weather Observation Facility ID --
Elevation of weather observation facility --
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) --
Time Zone of the weather observation --
Lighting Conditions Dusk
Lowest Ceiling Height 2000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height --
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions --
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 6
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) --
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 150
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 15
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 19
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
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) 10673
NTSB Notification Source NTSB Communications Center
NTSB Notification Date Apr 6 2001 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 2100
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Oct 9 2001 3:21PM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\MONR
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office Houston, Texas

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N4514Y
NTSB Number FTW01LA094
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 Piper
Aircraft Model PA-25-235
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 25-4066
Certified Max Gross Weight 3300
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 Annual
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 Charles Stuart Williams
Aircraft Owner Street Address 1627 County Road 130
Aircraft Owner City Pearland
Aircraft Owner State TX
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 77581
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name Night Hawk Aerial Advertising
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address Clover Field
Operator City Pearland
Operator State TX
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code --
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) Business
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code LVJ
Departure City Pearland
Departure State TX
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1715
Departure Time Zone CDT
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 Emergency descent/landing
Report sent to ICAO? No
Evacuation occurred No
Date of most recent change to record Sep 21 2001 2:40PM
User who most recently changed record MORJU
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 14L
Runway Length 2800
Runway Width 90
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --