Savannah Hardin County Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Savannah, Tennessee 38372
Friday, June 4, 2004 16:00 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

Approximately 5 nautical miles from the destination airport, the engine lost power. The pilot maneuvered for a forced landing to a hay field. In a written statement, the pilot stated that the airplane ran out of fuel. Examination of the wreckage site revealed that the wreckage debris was scattered in the immediate vicinity of the downed airplane. During the examination of the fuel system, approximately one ounce of fuel was recovered from the fuel system. Examination of the airframe, flight controls, engine assemblies and accessories revealed no anomalies.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's inadequate preflight planning of fuel required for the flight, which resulted in fuel exhaustion, and the subsequent loss of engine power.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 6/4/2004
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1600
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City Savannah
Event State TENNESSEE
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 38372
Event Date Year 2004
Event Date Month 6
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 352730N
Event Location Longitude 0881300W
Event Location Airport Savannah Hardin County
Event Location Nearest Airport ID SNH
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 5
Degrees magnetic from airport 310
Airport Elevation 473
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1553 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 150
Weather Observation Facility ID MSL
Elevation of weather observation facility --
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 39
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 6000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
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) 27
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 13
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 320
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) 30.11
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Serious
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 19837
NTSB Notification Source FAA
NTSB Notification Date Jun 4 2004 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1740
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Jun 28 2006 1:30PM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\JOHB
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office Memphis FSDO

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N39190
NTSB Number ATL04CA125
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 Taylorcraft
Aircraft Model DC-65
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 4197
Certified Max Gross Weight 1250
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 2
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection May 12 2004 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 14
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Jesse K. Douglas
Aircraft Owner Street Address 475 Karan Street Apt 7
Aircraft Owner City Dayton
Aircraft Owner State TN
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 37321
Operator is an individual? Yes
Operator Name --
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address --
Operator City 475 Karan Street
Operator State TN
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 37321
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 --
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code 2A3
Departure City Dayton
Departure State TN
Departure Country USA
Departure Time --
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code SNH
Destination City Savannah
Destination State TN
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight Approach
Report sent to ICAO? No
Evacuation occurred No
Date of most recent change to record Jul 1 2004 1:33PM
User who most recently changed record POWP
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location NA
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --