Canadian Lakes Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Mecosta, Michigan 49346
Tuesady, July 3, 2001 16:55 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The airplane was turning towards the departure airport following a reported sputtering of the engine by witnesses. The engine then stopped and the left wing dropped. Examination of the wreckage revealed that there was no fuel in the fuel lines leading to the carburetor. The fuel selector was positioned onto the left fuel tank which was found not to contain any usable fuel.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

the inadequate preflight planning/preparation by the pilot and fuel starvation. Additional causes were the aircraft control not maintained, and the inadvertent stall by the pilot.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/3/2001
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 1655
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City Mecosta
Event State MICHIGAN
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 49346
Event Date Year 2001
Event Date Month 7
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude --
Event Location Longitude --
Event Location Airport Canadian Lakes
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 05C
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 0.2
Degrees magnetic from airport 270
Airport Elevation 960
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1657 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 140
Weather Observation Facility ID RQB
Elevation of weather observation facility 990
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 15
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 3600
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
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) 17
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 280
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 8
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 17
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29.97
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Serious
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
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) 11294
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jul 3 2001 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1733
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2002 2:29PM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\MONR
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office Grand Rapids FSDO

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N8007N
NTSB Number CHI01LA197
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? No
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire Ground
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Piper
Aircraft Model PA-28-140
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 28-25248
Certified Max Gross Weight 2050
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 --
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Unknown
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Robert Morris
Aircraft Owner Street Address 7518 Regency Lane
Aircraft Owner City Stanwood
Aircraft Owner State MI
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 49346
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 Yes
Departure Airport Code 05C
Departure City Canadian Lakes
Departure State MI
Departure Country USA
Departure Time --
Departure Time Zone MST
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 Takeoff
Report sent to ICAO? No
Evacuation occurred No
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2001 3:35PM
User who most recently changed record SULP
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 18
Runway Length 3800
Runway Width 100
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --