East Cooper Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Mount Pleasant, South Carolina 29466
Monday, April 14, 2003 11:40 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

According to the pilot, he requested the refueler to top off his fuel tanks with "100 low lead fuel". After refueling, the pilot performed a preflight including taking fuel samples from under the wings, draining the rear fuel drain, and checking the fuel cap for security. The engine start, run-up, and taxi were uneventful. The airplane departed runway 17 and was in a positive rate of climb. At approximately 200 feet AGL the airplane began to lose power. Shortly after the pilot ensured that the throttle, propeller, and mixture controls were in the full forward position, the airplane lost power in both engines. The pilot executed an emergency off field landing. Examination of the wreckage revealed that the left wing had broken off and the aft cabin area was crushed. According to the refueler, he stated that he mistakenly used the Jet-A fuel truck instead of the AVGAS 100 low lead truck, and pumped 58 gallons of Jet-A into the airplane. Examination of the fuel samples taken from both engines revealed the left and right engine contained 70 percent of jet A fuel.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The improper refueling of the airplane by airport personnel with the incorrect fuel grade that resulted in a total loss in engine power on both engines during initial climb. A factor was the inadequate preflight inspection by the pilot in command.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 4/14/2003
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 1140
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City Mount Pleasant
Event State SOUTH CAROLINA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 29466
Event Date Year 2003
Event Date Month 4
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? Yes
Event Location Latitude 325352N
Event Location Longitude 0794658W
Event Location Airport EAST COOPER
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 8S5
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 1
Degrees magnetic from airport 17
Airport Elevation 12
Weather Briefing Completeness Full
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1318 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 170
Weather Observation Facility ID CHS
Elevation of weather observation facility 46
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 1
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 5500
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Few
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) 13
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 160
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 12
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 15
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.29
Density Altitude (feet) 1020
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 2
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 19834
NTSB Notification Source FAA Communication Center
NTSB Notification Date Apr 14 2003 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1400
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Jun 28 2006 1:30PM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\JOHB
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office Columbia FSDO

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N19WL
NTSB Number ATL03TA078
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed Company VFR
Flight plan Was Activated? No
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Aero Commander
Aircraft Model 500S
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 3160
Certified Max Gross Weight 6750
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 7
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection May 6 2002 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 94
Airframe Hours 11617
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name South Carolina Department of Natural Reasoures
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. Box 167
Aircraft Owner City Columbia
Aircraft Owner State SC
Aircraft Owner Country --
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 29202
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name John William Madden
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 108 Westbrook way
Operator City Lexington
Operator State SC
Operator Country --
Operator Zip code 29072
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) Public Use
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code 8S5
Departure City MOUNT PLEASANT
Departure State SC
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1140
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code 8S5
Destination City MOUNT PLEASANT
Destination State SC
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight Takeoff - initial climb
Report sent to ICAO? No
Evacuation occurred No
Date of most recent change to record Jun 27 2006 9:58AM
User who most recently changed record JOHB
Since inspection or accident Time of Accident
Event Location Runway Number and Location 17
Runway Length 3700
Runway Width 75
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --