Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Ashville Regional Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Weaverville, North Carolina 28787
Sunday, July 14, 2002 16:00 EDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
During cruise flight at 12,000 feet mean sea level (MSL) the right engine lost power. The pilot reported the loss of engine power to the Atlanta Air Traffic Control Center. The pilot was instructed by the controller to turn around and proceed to the Ashville Regional Airport. As the pilot maneuvered the left engine lost power. The pilot was directed by the controller to a highway 19 & 23. The airplane collided with trees short of the highway. Examination of the fuel system found both fuel tanks void of fuel and no visible of fuel loss at the accident site. The pilot reported departing with approximately 90 gallons of fuel on board. According to PA-31-325 specifications, the standard fuel quantity is 183 gallons, and the optional fuel capacity is 237 gallons.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The pilot's inadequate preflight and in-flight planning of fuel to complete the flight that resulted in the exhaustion of the fuel supply.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 7/14/2002 |
| Event Day of the Week | Sunday |
| Time of Event | 1600 |
| Event Time Zone | Eastern Daylight Time |
| Event City | Weaverville |
| Event State | NORTH CAROLINA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 28787 |
| Event Date Year | 2002 |
| Event Date Month | 7 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 352617N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0823251W |
| Event Location Airport | Ashville Regional |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | AVL |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | Off Airport/Airstrip |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | 17 |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | 45 |
| Airport Elevation | 2165 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | Full |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1554 Eastern Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 45 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | AVL |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 2165 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 17 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | EDT |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | -- |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | 10000 |
| 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) | 26 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 19 |
| 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) | 30.02 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | 3887 |
| 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) | 13745 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA Com Center |
| NTSB Notification Date | Jul 14 2002 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 1545 |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | DMS |
| Date of most recent change to record | Aug 26 2003 8:17AM |
| User who most recently changed record | NTSB\JOHB |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | Charlotte FSDO |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N27626 |
| NTSB Number | ATL02LA139 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | IFR |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | Yes |
| Damage | Substantial |
| Aircraft Fire | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | Piper |
| Aircraft Model | PA-31-325 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 31-7812068 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 6500 |
| 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 | 6 |
| Number of Engines | 2 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Retractable |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | Annual |
| Date of Last Inspection | Aug 21 2001 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 40 |
| Airframe Hours | 5800 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | AE Cleland Construction, Inc. |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | PO Box 1693 |
| Aircraft Owner City | Bluffton |
| Aircraft Owner State | SC |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 29910 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | Avery Eugene Cleland |
| Operator Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Street Address | Rt. 2, Box 377-C |
| Operator City | Ridgeland |
| Operator State | SC |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 29936 |
| 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 | 3J1 |
| Departure City | Ridgeland |
| Departure State | SC |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1430 |
| Departure Time Zone | EDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | -- |
| Destination Airport Code | GCY |
| Destination City | Greeneville |
| Destination State | TN |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Emergency descent/landing |
| Report sent to ICAO? | No |
| Evacuation occurred | No |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jun 9 2003 2:43PM |
| User who most recently changed record | POWP |
| Since inspection or accident | Time of Accident |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | 16 |
| Runway Length | 8001 |
| Runway Width | 150 |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |