Spartanburg Downtown Memorial Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Spartanburg, South Carolina 29306
Sunday, May 27, 2001 16:35 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot departed on a glider tow flight with a glider in tow. The engine started running rough. The pilot informed the glider pilot that he was going to release him and return to the departure airport. The pilot made the release and turned towards the departure airport .The airplane experienced a total loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion. He declared an emergency on the UNICOM radio frequency, and initiated a forced landing to runway 05. He heard a Learjet pilot state that he was taking runway 23. He immediately made another call on the UNICOM frequency and requested the Learjet to hold his position with negative response. He observed the Learjet taxi out onto the runway. He made another call to the Leajet with negative response and started a turn towards a closed runway. His landing gear collided with trees and the airplane crashed on the apron of the closed runway.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's improper fuel management resulting in a total loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion, forced landing, and subsequent in-flight collision with trees and terrain. Contributing to the accident was an unidentified pilot's failure to yield the right of way to an aircraft in distress.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/27/2001
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1635
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City Spartanburg
Event State SOUTH CAROLINA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 29306
Event Date Year 2001
Event Date Month 5
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude --
Event Location Longitude --
Event Location Airport Spartanburg Downtown Memorial
Event Location Nearest Airport ID SPA
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 801
Weather Briefing Completeness Full
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1655 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) --
Weather Observation Facility ID GSP
Elevation of weather observation facility 955
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) --
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
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) 27
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 9
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 240
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 11
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29.85
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) 10311
NTSB Notification Source FAA Communications Center
NTSB Notification Date May 27 2001 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1742
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Jul 30 2001 11:11AM
User who most recently changed record MONR
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office Columbia FSDO

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N6667Z
NTSB Number MIA01LA145
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 25-2268
Certified Max Gross Weight 2900
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 Feb 16 2001 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 20
Airframe Hours 6193
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name AIRSCAPE INC
Aircraft Owner Street Address 142 Harmon Field Road
Aircraft Owner City Tryon
Aircraft Owner State SC
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 28782
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) Other Work Use
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code SPA
Departure City Spartanburg
Departure State SC
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1630
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code --
Destination City Spartanburg
Destination State SC
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight Cruise
Report sent to ICAO? No
Evacuation occurred No
Date of most recent change to record Jul 6 2001 1:53PM
User who most recently changed record PREJ
Since inspection or accident Time of Accident
Event Location Runway Number and Location 27
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --