Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Columbia Metropolitan Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Columbia, South Carolina 29201
Friday, April 2, 2004 15:50 EST
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
While on visual approach to the airport, the engine sputtered then lost power. The pilot's attempts to restore engine power were not successful. The pilot maneuvered the airplane to avoid trees, and it touched down on a grass fairway and nosed over. Examination of the airplane revealed 18 ounces of fuel was recovered from the right wing tank, and no fuel was recovered from the left wing tank. Four ounces of fuel was recovered from the fuel supply line to the carburetor, and the carburetor bowl contained no fuel. No evidence of fuel system leakage or defects were observed. Examination of the engine revealed no evidence of malfunction. Per STC SA4428SW, the airplane was equipped with a Lycoming O-360-A4M, 180-horsepower engine. The airplane accumulated 3.7 hours on the hobbs meter during the flight.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The pilot's inadequate in-flight planning/decision, which resulted in fuel exhaustion. The pilot's preflight planning and uneven terrain were contributing factors.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 4/2/2004 |
| Event Day of the Week | Friday |
| Time of Event | 1550 |
| Event Time Zone | Eastern Standard Time |
| Event City | Columbia |
| Event State | SOUTH CAROLINA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 29201 |
| Event Date Year | 2004 |
| Event Date Month | 4 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 335633N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0810717W |
| Event Location Airport | Columbia Metropolitan |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | KCAE |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | Off Airport/Airstrip |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | 1.5 |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | 135 |
| Airport Elevation | 236 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | Full |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1556 Eastern Standard Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 315 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | KCAE |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 236 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 1 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | EST |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | 2100 |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | -- |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | -- |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | Broken |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | -- |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | -- |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 4 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 19 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 17 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 230 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 9 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | 16 |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 29.86 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | 1079 |
| Intensity of Precipitation | Light |
| METAR weather report | SPECI KCAE 022035Z 24027G34KT 2SM +TSRA SCT015 BKN |
| 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) | 17257 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA Comm Center |
| NTSB Notification Date | Apr 2 2004 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 1903 |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | DMS |
| Date of most recent change to record | Feb 24 2005 9:13AM |
| User who most recently changed record | NTSB\JOHB |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | Columbia FSDO-13 |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N271EP |
| NTSB Number | ATL04LA088 |
| 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 | Cessna |
| Aircraft Model | 172N |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 17273207 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 2550 |
| 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 | 4 |
| Number of Engines | 1 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Fixed |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | 100 Hour |
| Date of Last Inspection | Feb 25 2004 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 67 |
| Airframe Hours | 12525 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | Yes |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | Yes |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | Patrick Kreusch |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 101 Lakeside Circle |
| Aircraft Owner City | Sanford |
| Aircraft Owner State | FL |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 32773 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | Avion Air Academy |
| Operator Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Street Address | 2841 Flight Line Ave |
| Operator City | Sanford |
| Operator State | FL |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 32773 |
| 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 | KSFB |
| Departure City | Orlando Sanford |
| Departure State | FL |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1230 |
| Departure Time Zone | EST |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | -- |
| Destination Airport Code | KCAE |
| Destination City | Columbia Metro |
| Destination State | SC |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Approach |
| Report sent to ICAO? | No |
| Evacuation occurred | No |
| Date of most recent change to record | May 24 2004 9:37AM |
| User who most recently changed record | POWP |
| Since inspection or accident | Last Inspection |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | NA |
| Runway Length | -- |
| Runway Width | -- |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |