Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Winchester Regional Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Winchester, Virginia 22601
Friday, April 20, 2001 23:23 EDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The pilot stated that he departed with full fuel tanks, and the fuel selector was initially positioned to the left tank. The pilot reported that he switched fuel tanks every 15 minutes. However, about 3 hours en route to his intended destination, the left fuel gauge displayed "E", and the right gauge displayed "1/4." The pilot decided to divert to a closer airport, but he could not activate the pilot-controlled runway lighting. Therefore, he continued to his original destination, and continued to select the left fuel tank. While on approach to the intended airport, the engine lost all power, and the pilot made a forced landing into trees. Examination of the wreckage by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector did not reveal any pre-impact mechanical malfunctions. The right wing had separated from the airplane, and the right fuel tank was compromised. The left fuel tank was still intact, and the inspector found approximately 1 to 2 pints of fuel remaining in the left tank. Additionally, the airport manager at the alternate airport reported that he tested the pilot-controlled lighting, and it functioned properly. The pilot reported a total flight experience of 84 hours, of which, about 55 were in the make and model accident airplane. He obtained his private pilot certificate about 2 months prior to the accident.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The pilot's inadequate fuel management, which resulted in fuel starvation.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 4/20/2001 |
| Event Day of the Week | Friday |
| Time of Event | 2323 |
| Event Time Zone | Eastern Daylight Time |
| Event City | Winchester |
| Event State | VIRGINIA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 22601 |
| 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 | Winchester Regional Airport |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | OKV |
| 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 | 320 |
| Airport Elevation | 727 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | Full |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 2320 Eastern Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 140 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | OKV |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 727 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 1 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | EDT |
| Lighting Conditions | Night |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | 7000 |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | -- |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Unknown |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | Overcast |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | -- |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | -- |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 10 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 15 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 7 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | -- |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Variable |
| Wind Speed (knots) | -- |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | Calm |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 30.21 |
| 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) | 11036 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA EROC |
| NTSB Notification Date | Apr 21 2001 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 5 |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | IMAGE |
| Date of most recent change to record | Nov 27 2001 11:26AM |
| User who most recently changed record | NTSB\MONR |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | Dulles, VA |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N286FT |
| NTSB Number | NYC01LA099 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | VFR |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | Yes |
| Damage | Substantial |
| Aircraft Fire | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | Piper |
| Aircraft Model | PA-28-161 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 28-8216205 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 2325 |
| 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 | Fixed |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | Annual |
| Date of Last Inspection | Mar 29 2001 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 22 |
| Airframe Hours | 7850 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | Blesair Inc. |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 5297 Montgomery Road |
| Aircraft Owner City | Cincinnati |
| Aircraft Owner State | OH |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 45212 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| 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? | -- |
| 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) | Personal |
| Second Pilot on Board | No |
| Departure Point Same as Event | No |
| Departure Airport Code | HVN |
| Departure City | New Haven |
| Departure State | CT |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 2000 |
| Departure Time Zone | EDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | crash at destination city |
| Destination Airport Code | OKV |
| Destination City | Winchester |
| Destination State | VA |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Approach |
| Report sent to ICAO? | No |
| Evacuation occurred | No |
| Date of most recent change to record | Oct 22 2001 1:05PM |
| User who most recently changed record | PEAR |
| Since inspection or accident | Time of Accident |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | 14 |
| Runway Length | 5500 |
| Runway Width | 100 |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |