Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Smith Mountain Lake Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Moneta, Virginia 24121
Sunday, March 24, 2002 14:00 EST
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
After releasing parachutists, the pilot planned to return to the airport. During the descent, about 2,500 feet msl, the engine began to lose power. The pilot thought that carburetor ice caused the power loss, and performed emergency procedures, which included the application of carburetor heat. The engine did not regain power, and the pilot planned an emergency landing to a field. As the pilot began to flare, the engine power returned, and he performed a go-around. During the go-around, about 50 feet agl, the engine began to lose power again. The pilot then attempted to land in a smaller field with an up-sloping incline. During the landing, the nose gear collapsed, and the airplane came to rest. The pilot stated that he departed with 12 gallons of fuel, and did not experience any pre-impact mechanical malfunctions with the airplane. However, the pilot told a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector that he either experienced carburetor ice or ran out of fuel. The FAA inspector did not find any fuel in the left fuel tank, and found less than 1 gallon of fuel in the right fuel tank. He did not find any fuel in the fuel line to the carburetor, nor the gascolator.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The pilot's inadequate preflight planning, which resulted in fuel exhaustion.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 3/24/2002 |
| Event Day of the Week | Sunday |
| Time of Event | 1400 |
| Event Time Zone | Eastern Standard Time |
| Event City | Moneta |
| Event State | VIRGINIA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 24121 |
| Event Date Year | 2002 |
| Event Date Month | 3 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 371044N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0793658W |
| Event Location Airport | Smith Mountain Lake Airport |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | W91 |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | Off Airport/Airstrip |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | 1.3 |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | 110 |
| Airport Elevation | 892 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | Unknown |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1354 Eastern Standard Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 60 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | LYH |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 938 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 20 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | EST |
| 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) | 19 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | -4 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 180 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 10 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | 20 |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 30.05 |
| 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) | 12441 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA EROC |
| NTSB Notification Date | Mar 24 2002 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 830 |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | DMS |
| Date of most recent change to record | Oct 23 2002 10:24AM |
| User who most recently changed record | NTSB\MONR |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | Richmond, VA |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N8667T |
| NTSB Number | NYC02LA074 |
| 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 | 182C |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 52567 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 2650 |
| 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 | Jan 25 2002 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 20 |
| Airframe Hours | 6859 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | Yes |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | James Cockrell |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | -- |
| Aircraft Owner City | Eagle Rock |
| Aircraft Owner State | VA |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | -- |
| 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 | W91 |
| Departure City | Moneta |
| Departure State | VA |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1330 |
| Departure Time Zone | EST |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere |
| Destination Airport Code | W91 |
| Destination City | -- |
| Destination State | -- |
| Destination Country | -- |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Descent - normal |
| Report sent to ICAO? | No |
| Evacuation occurred | No |
| Date of most recent change to record | Sep 18 2002 12:35PM |
| User who most recently changed record | PEAR |
| Since inspection or accident | Time of Accident |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | -- |
| Runway Length | -- |
| Runway Width | -- |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |