Individually Owned: 151,845
Corporate Owned: 143,699
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Delco, North Carolina 28436
Friday, April 23, 2004 20:44 EDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The flight instructor was conducting an instrument training flight with a private pilot. The engine start, run up, and flight was conducted on the right main fuel tank. The airplane was flown for 2 hours and 4 minutes. While being vectored by an air traffic controller for an NDB approach the airplane experienced a loss of engine power. The flight instructor did not use the check list for the loss of engine power. The fuel selector was not moved to the left main fuel tank. An emergency was declared with the controller and a forced landing was made to an open field. The airplane collided with trees on landing roll out. Examination of the right main fuel tank revealed the fuel tank was empty. The left wing separated during the accident and fuel was observed by emergency personnel dripping from the fuel tank. When the pilot was asked what may have caused the loss of engine power, he stated, "fuel starvation." Examination and partial disassembly of the engine revealed no anomalies.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The flight instructor's improper fuel management resulting in a loss of engine power due to fuel starvation. A factor was the flight instructor's failure to use the checklist.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 4/23/2004 |
| Event Day of the Week | Friday |
| Time of Event | 2044 |
| Event Time Zone | Eastern Daylight Time |
| Event City | Delco |
| Event State | NORTH CAROLINA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 28436 |
| Event Date Year | 2004 |
| Event Date Month | 4 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 341623N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0775415W |
| 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 | 28 |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | -- |
| Airport Elevation | -- |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | Full |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 2053 Eastern Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 50 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | ILM |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 32 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 28 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | EDT |
| Lighting Conditions | Night/Dark |
| 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) | 21 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 18 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 210 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 11 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 30.1 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | 586 |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | -- |
| Event Highest Injury | Minor |
| On Ground, Fatal Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Minor Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Serious Injuries | -- |
| Injury Total Fatal | -- |
| Injury Total Minor | 2 |
| Injury Total None | -- |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | 2 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 15819 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA Communication Center |
| NTSB Notification Date | Apr 23 2004 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 2140 |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | DMS |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jul 29 2004 7:30AM |
| User who most recently changed record | NTSB\MONR |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | Greensboro FSDO |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N32891 |
| NTSB Number | ATL04CA091 |
| 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-28R-200 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 28R75309 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 2650 |
| 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 | Retractable |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | Annual |
| Date of Last Inspection | Apr 2 2004 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 36 |
| Airframe Hours | 5991 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | Jones D. E. Darnell |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 308 Queen Annes Road |
| Aircraft Owner City | Greenville |
| Aircraft Owner State | NC |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 27858 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | Dillon Aviation |
| Operator Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Street Address | 1105 Memorial Drive |
| Operator City | Greenville |
| Operator State | NC |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 27834 |
| 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 | Yes |
| Departure Point Same as Event | No |
| Departure Airport Code | FAY |
| Departure City | Fayetteville |
| Departure State | NC |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1900 |
| Departure Time Zone | EDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | -- |
| Destination Airport Code | FAY |
| Destination City | Fayetteville |
| Destination State | NC |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Cruise |
| Report sent to ICAO? | No |
| Evacuation occurred | Yes |
| Date of most recent change to record | May 11 2004 11:59AM |
| User who most recently changed record | POWP |
| 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 | -- |