Lake Barkley State Park Apt. Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Cadiz, Kentucky 42211
Thursday, November 24, 2005 12:45 CST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

About 1 hour and 15 minutes into the flight, the pilot was practicing touch and go landings, when on the downwind leg of the traffic pattern, the engine began to lose power. Following an unsuccessful attempt to restart the engine, the pilot ditched the airplane into a lake. After the airplane was recovered from the lake, the right fuel tank was found to contain a mixture of fluid consisting of about 1/2 fuel, and 1/2 water, and the left tank was completely filled with water. Examination of the fuel system revealed the presence of a silicone type sealant around the fuel tank bladder access panels and fragments of sealant loose inside the fuel tank bladder.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Fuel starvation, which resulted in a loss of engine power.

Event Information

Type of Event Incident
Event Date 11/24/2005
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 1245
Event Time Zone Central Standard Time
Event City Cadiz
Event State KENTUCKY
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 42211
Event Date Year 2005
Event Date Month 11
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 365017N
Event Location Longitude 0875623W
Event Location Airport Lake Barkley State Park Apt.
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 1M9
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 2
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 570
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1255 Central Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 90
Weather Observation Facility ID HOP
Elevation of weather observation facility 573
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 23
Time Zone of the weather observation CST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 3000
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) 7
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 10
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -11
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 310
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) 29.85
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
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) 19600
NTSB Notification Source FAA-SROC
NTSB Notification Date Nov 24 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 Louisville FSDO

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N52DB
NTSB Number NYC06IA036
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? No
Damage Minor
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Mooney
Aircraft Model M20F
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 22-1399
Certified Max Gross Weight 2740
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 4
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Jan 1 2005 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 10
Airframe Hours 2306
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Alfred H Eckles III
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City Pensacola
Aircraft Owner State FL
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode --
Operator is an individual? Yes
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 Yes
Departure Airport Code 1M9
Departure City Cadiz
Departure State KY
Departure Country USA
Departure Time --
Departure Time Zone CST
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code 1M9
Destination City --
Destination State --
Destination Country --
Specific Phase of Flight Approach - VFR pattern - downwind
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Feb 10 2006 11:48AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\HAMG
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 --