Olive Branch Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Olive Branch, Mississippi 38654
Sunday, April 13, 2003 14:15 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The CFI reported that after takeoff, the flight proceeded to the practice area where the student pilot performed airwork maneuvers. The flight returned to the departure airport for a planned full-stop landing, entering the traffic pattern for runway 18 on the downwind leg. When the flight was abeam the numbers for runway 18, the CFI positioned the fuel selector to the "off" position to simulate an engine failure as had been done to him as a student. The engine lost power about 5 seconds later after turning onto the base leg. The student pilot recognized the loss of engine power and went through the emergency procedures, to include moving the fuel selector to the "on" position. The engine continued to lose rpm and eventually quit after the fuel selector was positioned to the "on." The CFI confirmed the fuel selector was fully in the on position, took control of the airplane on the base leg, pitched to achieve best glide airspeed, and turned towards the runway. An emergency was declared on the UNICOM frequency and the CFI attempted to restart the engine while flying the airplane; engine restart was unsuccessful. The student helped secure the cockpit and the CFI recognized the airplane could not reach the runway. The airplane was landed on grass short of the runway with the main landing gear first, and he attempted to hold the nose landing gear off the ground. The nose landing gear collapsed after contacting uneven terrain; the CFI and student evacuated the airplane after it came to rest. The CFI further reported there was no mechanical malfunction or failure. Following recovery of the airplane, the engine was started and operated only to idle rpm; impact damage precluded operation at a higher rpm.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The CFI's improper positioning of the fuel selector valve to the off position which resulted in fuel starvation and the subsequent loss of engine power.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 4/13/2003
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1415
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City Olive Branch
Event State MISSISSIPPI
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 38654
Event Date Year 2003
Event Date Month 4
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 345844N
Event Location Longitude 0894713W
Event Location Airport Olive Branch Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID KOLV
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 0.25
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
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 --
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling --
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) --
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) --
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) --
Variable Wind Indicator --
Wind Speed (knots) --
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
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 Docket Number (internal use) 14638
NTSB Notification Source FAA Comm Center
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Dec 30 2003 8:55AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\JOHB
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N757AZ
NTSB Number MIA03CA095
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 --
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Cessna
Aircraft Model 152
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 15279598
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 --
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection --
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Unknown
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Douglas Aviation, Inc.
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City --
Aircraft Owner State --
Aircraft Owner Country --
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? No
Operator Street Address --
Operator City Olive Branch
Operator State MS
Operator Country USA
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 --
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code KOLV
Departure City Olive Branch
Departure State MS
Departure Country USA
Departure Time --
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code KOLV
Destination City --
Destination State --
Destination Country --
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Oct 17 2003 9:26AM
User who most recently changed record KENJ
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 18
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --