Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Columbia, Missouri 65202
Wednesday, April 14, 2004 20:00 CDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The airplane sustained substantial damage on impact with terrain during a precautionary landing. The pilot reported that he checked weather, filed a flight plan, performed a preflight, and verified that both tanks were full. The pilot stated that the first fuel tank switch was completed 12 minutes after departure and the remaining tank switches were completed on 15 to 17 minute balanced intervals. The pilot stated that he over flew his destination and turned around toward a known city. The pilot stated, "The left tank ran out of fuel, and, I reacted automatically & immediately turned on the electric fuel pump then switched from the left to the right tank - the engine fired up right away. I thought about issuing a May-Day call, but, decided not to because [Air Traffic Control] lost radar contact with me at 4000ft, and, I was at 3500. I did not want to waste fuel climbing or waste time to set up radios and communicate -started thinking about my aviate, navigate, communicate priorities. I had the radial to track back to a known airport location, Hannibal, but, I began to doubt if I had the fuel to get there. This logic hinged on the fact that I had been religious about keeping the tanks balanced. If I had emptied the left, regardless of why it emptied prematurely, the right tank should be no more than 15 minutes behind it. Figured Hannibal was at least 15 minutes out with Monroe City closer, but, neither in view. To greatly compound matters, the sun was well on its way to setting. Guessed I might have no more than 5 or 10 minutes of light left. Scanned around again for an airport - none found. Started looking for a place to make an emergency landing. ... Decided to go with my 1st choice pasture/hay field with known surface. Next, thought I heard a burp from the engine as the field approached. This made it easier to commit to the precautionary landing. ... The field was not long enough, though. I rolled into scrub brush and a barbed wire fence with metal fence posts." The pilot reported no mechanical malfunctions associated with the airplane in reference to the flight.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The pilot inadvertently became lost and over flew his destination in cruise flight and selected an unsuitable landing area for his precautionary landing. Factors were the rough/uneven terrain, the barbed wire fence, and the fence post encountered during the precautionary landing.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 4/14/2004 |
| Event Day of the Week | Wednesday |
| Time of Event | 2000 |
| Event Time Zone | Central Daylight Time |
| Event City | Columbia |
| Event State | MISSOURI |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 65202 |
| Event Date Year | 2004 |
| Event Date Month | 4 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 423357N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0842524W |
| Event Location Airport | -- |
| 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 | -- |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | -- |
| Airport Elevation | -- |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | Full |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1954 Central Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | -- |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | COU |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 889 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | -- |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | CDT |
| Lighting Conditions | Dusk |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | -- |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | -- |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Clear |
| 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) | 16 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | -1 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 140 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 5 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | 0 |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 30.05 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | Columbia Regional Airport Columbia, Missouri, USA |
| 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) | 15649 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA |
| NTSB Notification Date | Apr 18 2004 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | DMS |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jun 30 2004 12:15PM |
| User who most recently changed record | NTSB\MONR |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | Kansas City, MO, FSDO |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N40RT |
| NTSB Number | CHI04CA106 |
| 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-28-180 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 28-4175 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 2400 |
| 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 | Annual |
| Date of Last Inspection | Oct 3 2003 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 53 |
| Airframe Hours | 4888 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | Unknown |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | Michael Orlando Reardon |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 2410 Kewanee Way |
| Aircraft Owner City | Okemos |
| Aircraft Owner State | MI |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 48864 |
| 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 | TEW |
| Departure City | MASON |
| Departure State | MI |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1605 |
| Departure Time Zone | CDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | -- |
| Destination Airport Code | K52 |
| Destination City | MONROE CITY |
| Destination State | MO |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Emergency landing |
| Report sent to ICAO? | No |
| Evacuation occurred | No |
| Date of most recent change to record | Apr 27 2004 10:42AM |
| User who most recently changed record | DINC |
| Since inspection or accident | Time of Accident |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | NA |
| Runway Length | -- |
| Runway Width | -- |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |