Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Sanborn, New York 14132
Friday, May 13, 2005 11:17 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

En route to another airport to buy fuel, the engine lost power, and the pilot force-landed the airplane, hitting trees during the descent. A post-accident examination of the airplane revealed no fuel in the fuel tank or fuel lines, and the pilot had not "sticked" the fuel prior to the flight. The pilot had bought 5 gallons of fuel on the day before the accident, and had another airplane that was full of fuel.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's inadequate preflight preparation, which resulted in fuel exhaustion, and subsequent loss of engine power during cruise flight.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/13/2005
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1117
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City Sanborn
Event State NEW YORK
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 14132
Event Date Year 2005
Event Date Month 5
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 431007N
Event Location Longitude 0795307W
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 153 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 120
Weather Observation Facility ID IAG
Elevation of weather observation facility 589
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 8
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 11000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Few
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) 12
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -6
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 90
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 14
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.3
Density Altitude (feet) --
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 1
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 19521
NTSB Notification Source EROC
NTSB Notification Date May 13 2005 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Apr 25 2006 11:00AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\JOHB
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office Rochester

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N34482
NTSB Number IAD05LA062
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Aeronca
Aircraft Model 65
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number CA14941
Certified Max Gross Weight 1250
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 2
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection May 1 2005 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 0.5
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Wayne G. Rivers
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City Sanborn
Aircraft Owner State NY
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 14132
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 NONE
Departure City Sanborn
Departure State NY
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1116
Departure Time Zone --
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code 0G0
Destination City Lockport
Destination State NY
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight Cruise
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Feb 1 2006 12:42PM
User who most recently changed record MUZD
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 --