Springdale Municipal Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Springdale, Arkansas 72764
Saturday, July 21, 2001 12:30 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The instructor and student were practicing touch-and-go takeoffs and landings. During the 8th takeoff, the engine began to run rough. The flight instructor assumed control of the airplane and elected to land in a field near the departure end of the runway. During the landing roll, the airplane contacted an "unseen ditch." Post-accident examination of the aircraft revealed that the aircraft's fuel tanks contained a total of 0.5 gallons of fuel. The aircraft's pilot operating handbook indicates that there is a total fuel capacity of 26 gallons, of which 1.5 gallons is considered unusable fuel. According to the operator, the pilots did not refuel the airplane prior to the accident flight.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

the instructor's failure to refuel the airplane, which resulted in fuel exhaustion.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/21/2001
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1230
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City Springdale
Event State ARKANSAS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 72764
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 Springdale Municipal
Event Location Nearest Airport ID ASG
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 180
Airport Elevation 1250
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 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) 35
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) --
Wind Velocity Indicator Calm
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.01
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 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 10822
NTSB Notification Source FAA
NTSB Notification Date Apr 21 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 Oct 23 2001 10:32AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\MONR
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office Little Rock, Arkansas

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N50SX
NTSB Number FTW01LA167
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 152
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 15285147
Certified Max Gross Weight 1670
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 2
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Jul 13 2001 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 23.8
Airframe Hours 7646.1
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Drake Aviation Academy, Inc.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 802 Airport Road
Aircraft Owner City Springdale
Aircraft Owner State AR
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 72764
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) Instructional
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code ASG
Departure City Springdale
Departure State AR
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1115
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 landing after takeoff
Report sent to ICAO? No
Evacuation occurred No
Date of most recent change to record Oct 5 2001 11:59AM
User who most recently changed record MORJU
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 18
Runway Length 5302
Runway Width 75
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --