Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Ringgold, Georgia 30736
Saturday, July 1, 2006 11:31 EDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The pilot stated he and the co-owner arrived at the airport to pick up the airplane. The co-owner observed the left wing was lower than the right wing and fuel was draining out of the fuel vent. The pilot moved the fuel selector valve handle from the both position to the right main fuel tank position. The pilot opened the left main fuel cap and stated the left main fuel tank was full. The co-owner opened the right main fuel cap and estimated about six gallons of fuel was present. The pilot started the airplane, taxied to the engine run up area, completed the engine run, and departed. The pilot turned right crosswind at about 50 feet and the engine lost power, The pilot lowered the nose, attempted to move the fuel selector valve from the right tank position to the left main fuel tank position which was unsuccessful. The engine started, stopped, and the pilot made a forced landing straight ahead into the trees. Examination of the airplane revealed the left and right main fuel tank were not ruptured. No fuel was present in the left main fuel tank and 5 gallons of fuel were removed by recovery personnel from the right main fuel tank. No fuel leakage was present on the ground. The airplane was recovered to a storage facility. The left and right main fuel tanks hold 18 gallons of fuel of which 1.5 gallons of fuel are not useable in non-level flight. The left and right main fuel tanks were filled with water and there was no evidence of leakage. Shop air was applied to the fuel system and no anomalies were noted. Plumbing for an external fuel source was connected into the left and right fuel tank supply line with a flexible hose for two engine runs. The fuel selector valve was placed in the left main fuel selector position for the first engine run and then on the right main fuel selector for the second engine run. The engine was started, the throttle was advanced to 1000 rpm and stabilized for 2 minutes. The throttle was advanced to 1500 rpm and a magneto check was conducted. The throttle was advanced to 2200 rpm and stabilized for 5 minutes, the engine was returned to the idle position, and shut down on both engine runs. No anomalies were noted during either engine run.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The pilot's improper fuel management resulting in a total loss of engine power due to fuel starvation resulting in a forced landing, and collision with trees and the ground.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 7/1/2006 |
| Event Day of the Week | Saturday |
| Time of Event | 1131 |
| Event Time Zone | Eastern Daylight Time |
| Event City | Ringgold |
| Event State | GEORGIA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 30736 |
| Event Date Year | 2006 |
| Event Date Month | 7 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 345244N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0851450W |
| 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 | 1153 Eastern Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 360 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | KCHA |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 682 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 10 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | EDT |
| 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) | 10 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 28 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 19 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | -- |
| Variable Wind Indicator | -- |
| Wind Speed (knots) | -- |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | Calm |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 30.24 |
| 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) | 20489 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA Communication Center |
| NTSB Notification Date | Jul 1 2006 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | DMS |
| Date of most recent change to record | Oct 31 2006 8:45AM |
| User who most recently changed record | NTSB\JOHB |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | College Park FSDO-11 |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N8084L |
| NTSB Number | ATL06LA099 |
| 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 | Cessna |
| Aircraft Model | 172H |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 17256284 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 2300 |
| 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 | Fixed |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | Annual |
| Date of Last Inspection | Jun 1 2006 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 0.1 |
| Airframe Hours | -- |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | Yes |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | James C. Sherwood Jr. |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 936 Spurling Drive |
| Aircraft Owner City | Hixson |
| Aircraft Owner State | TN |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 37343 |
| 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 | GA03 |
| Departure City | Ringgold |
| Departure State | GA |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1129 |
| Departure Time Zone | EDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | -- |
| Destination Airport Code | 2AO |
| Destination City | Dayton |
| Destination State | TN |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Takeoff - initial climb |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Aug 16 2006 1:39PM |
| User who most recently changed record | KENJ |
| 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 | -- |