Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Columbia Owen Downtown Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Columbia, South Carolina 29201
Saturday, November 22, 2003 17:00 EST
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
According to the pilot, after flying 5.2 hours, he believed there were still about 10 gallons of fuel on board the airplane. As the pilot maneuvered for an approach to Columbia -Owen Downtown Airport, the engine lost power. The pilot maneuvered for an emergency landing and the airplane collided with the ground in a residential area 1/2 mile southeast of the airport. The post-accident examination of the accident site revealed that the airplane rested in the backyard of a single family adjacent to a storage shed. The airplane was resting on its right side with the left wing perpendicular to the ground. A small quantity of fuel drained from the left wing root area. During the visual examination of the fuel tanks, no fuel was observed in either tank. According to the pilot operating handbook, approximately two gallons of the 50 gallon fuel capacity are not usable, According to the pilot, the flight departed with 50 gallons of 100 low lead aviation fuel. The pilot did not report a mechanical problem with the airplane prior to the accident.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The pilot's mismanagement of the fuel supply, and his inadequate preflight planning which resulted in fuel exhaustion.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 11/22/2003 |
| Event Day of the Week | Saturday |
| Time of Event | 1700 |
| Event Time Zone | Eastern Standard Time |
| Event City | Columbia |
| Event State | SOUTH CAROLINA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 29201 |
| Event Date Year | 2003 |
| Event Date Month | 11 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | -- |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | -- |
| Event Location Latitude | 335320N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0810710W |
| Event Location Airport | Columbia Owen Downtown |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | CUB |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | On Airport |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | 1 |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | -- |
| Airport Elevation | 200 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1556 Eastern Standard Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 270 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | CAE |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 236 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 12 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | EST |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | -- |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | 25000 |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Scattered |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | -- |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | -- |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | -- |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 10 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 23 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 7 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 0 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 0 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 30.07 |
| 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) | 17869 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA |
| NTSB Notification Date | Nov 22 2003 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 1800 |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | DMS |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jul 7 2005 10:33AM |
| 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 | N5041T |
| NTSB Number | ATL04LA039 |
| 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 | Piper |
| Aircraft Model | PA-28R |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 28-R-7235181 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 2729 |
| Aircraft Category | Airplane |
| Aircraft Registration Class | -- |
| 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 | Retractable |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | Annual |
| Date of Last Inspection | May 1 2003 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 26 |
| Airframe Hours | 4560 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | Frank J. Donovan |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 77 South Street |
| Aircraft Owner City | Granby |
| Aircraft Owner State | MA |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 01033 |
| 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) | Personal |
| Second Pilot on Board | No |
| Departure Point Same as Event | No |
| Departure Airport Code | CEF |
| Departure City | Westover AFB |
| Departure State | MA |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1210 |
| Departure Time Zone | EST |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | -- |
| Destination Airport Code | AIK |
| Destination City | Aiken |
| Destination State | SC |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Approach - VFR pattern - final approach |
| Report sent to ICAO? | No |
| Evacuation occurred | No |
| Date of most recent change to record | May 12 2005 2:50PM |
| User who most recently changed record | POWP |
| Since inspection or accident | -- |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | 13 |
| Runway Length | 5002 |
| Runway Width | 75 |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |