Wentzville Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Wentzville, Missouri
Thursday, January 28, 1982 21:40 CST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

DURING A CROSS-COUNTRY FLIGHT, THE PILOT SWITCHED THE FUEL SELECTOR FROM BOTH TANKS TO THE RIGHT TANK TO BALANCE THE FUEL. AFTER THE TANKS WERE BALANCED, HE FAILED TO SWITCH THE SELECTOR BACK TO BOTH. DURING A NIGHT, FINAL APPROACH AT HIS DESTINATION, THE ENGINE LOST POWER FROM FUEL STARVATION WITH THE FUEL SELECTOR STILL POSITIONED TO THE RIGHT TANK. HE DID NOT SWITCH TO THE LEFT TANK OR BOTH TANKS TO RESTART THE ENGINE. HE WAS AWARE OF POWER LINES NEAR THE RUNWAY AND FOCUSED HIS FULL ATTENTION TO FLYING THE AIRCRAFT AND LOCATING THE POWER LINES. HE SPOTTED THE POWER LINES ON HIS FLIGHT PATH AND MANEUVERED UNDER THEM. THE AIRCRAFT WAS DAMAGED WHEN IT LANDED IN A CONSTRUCTION AREA AND CONTINUED INTO A CORN FIELD. IT CAME TO REST ABOUT 400 FT FROM THE RUNWAY.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 1/28/1982
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 2140
Event Time Zone Central Standard Time
Event City WENTZVILLE
Event State MISSOURI
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site
Event Date Year 1982
Event Date Month 1
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude --
Event Location Longitude --
Event Location Airport WENTZVILLE
Event Location Nearest Airport ID
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 0
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Unknown
Time of the weather observation 2148
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 360
Weather Observation Facility ID
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation
Lighting Conditions Night/Dark
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Unknown
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 15
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 30
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 0
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 120
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 5
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 0
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 160
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information
Date of most recent change to record Oct 31 2002 4:04PM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\ZUZL
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N5333T
NTSB Number MKC82DA022
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CESSNA
Aircraft Model 172H
Aircraft Series Identifier 172H
Aircraft Serial Number 17256100
Certified Max Gross Weight 2300
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class Unknown
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 Unknown
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection 5
Airframe Hours 1938
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name JAMES R. LAMBERT
Aircraft Owner Street Address 505 OAK TERRACE LAKE
Aircraft Owner City ST. LOUIS
Aircraft Owner State MO
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 63367
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name JAMES R. LAMBERT
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address 505 OAK TERRACE LAKE
Operator City ST. LOUIS
Operator State MO
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 63367
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate Yes - certificate holder
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
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 Unknown
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code
Departure City KANKAKEE
Departure State IL
Departure Country
Departure Time 0
Departure Time Zone
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code
Destination City LIBERTY
Destination State MO
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Sep 18 2002 4:50PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 18
Runway Length 2400
Runway Width 50
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --