Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Chamblee, Georgia 30341
Monday, November 8, 2004 15:30 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

Shortly after takeoff the engine started to "sputter" and lose power. Efforts by the pilot to restore power were unsuccessful. The pilot declared an emergency and during the forced landing the airplane collided with a house. Examination of the airplane found no fuel in the right and left main fuel tanks and about five gallons of fuel in the left tip tank. The right tip tank separated during the collision sequence. There was no browning of grass or remnants of fuel at the location of the right tip tank. Fuel was not present in the fuel lines leading from the right tip tank to the engine. The engine was successfully run. According to the pilot, the airplane departed with 14 gallons of fuel in the right tip tank.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's mismanagement of the fuel supply, which resulted in fuel starvation and the subsequent loss of engine power. .

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 11/8/2004
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 1530
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City Chamblee
Event State GEORGIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 30341
Event Date Year 2004
Event Date Month 11
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 335259N
Event Location Longitude 0841752W
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 --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) --
Weather Observation Facility ID PDK
Elevation of weather observation facility --
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) --
Time Zone of the weather observation --
Lighting Conditions --
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) 22
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 1
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 300
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 11
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator --
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.16
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Minor
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries 1
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) 18743
NTSB Notification Source FAA Com Center
NTSB Notification Date Nov 8 2004 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1615
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Dec 20 2005 6:27AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\JOHB
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office Atlanta FSDO

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N411CP
NTSB Number ATL05LA022
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 --
Aircraft Explosion --
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Piper
Aircraft Model PA-32-260
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 32-7500003
Certified Max Gross Weight 3400
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 6
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Oct 1 2004 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 35.3
Airframe Hours 3378.28
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site --
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Richard Hunter Ranzau
Aircraft Owner Street Address 930 Circassian Ct
Aircraft Owner City Alpharetta
Aircraft Owner State GA
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 30022
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 PDK
Departure City Dekalb
Departure State GA
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1528
Departure Time Zone EST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code WDR
Destination City Winder
Destination State GA
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight Takeoff - initial climb
Report sent to ICAO? No
Evacuation occurred No
Date of most recent change to record Oct 4 2005 3:16PM
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 --