Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Ashland, Kentucky 41183
Sunday, July 30, 2006 11:50 EDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
Following a complete loss of engine power, the Cessna 120 collided with trees, during an attempted return to the departure airport. According to the pilot, he had not visually checked the fuel quantity in the tanks prior to departure; however, the right fuel tank gauge indicated 1/4 full. The pilot also stated that the fuel gauges were unreliable. When asked if he had used a checklist, he offered that he "didn't use a written checklist, but had gone through a mental one prior to takeoff." The pilot normally flew a Cessna 180 where the middle position of the fuel selector was used for both tanks. On the Cessna 120, however; the middle position was for right tank only. No evidence of preimpact mechanical failures were discovered. Fuel was present in both fuel tanks, the primer was unlocked, and the left fuel gauge indicated 3/8 full. The fuel selector was in the "off" position; however, the mechanic first to respond to the accident site could not recall if he turned the fuel selector "off," or if it was already in that position. According to the Cessna 120 Owners Manual a pilot should "set fuel tank selector to the fullest tank for takeoff," and "not takeoff on less than 1/4 tank."
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The pilot's improper fuel tank selection, which resulted in fuel starvation and a subsequent loss of engine power. A factor in the accident was the trees.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 7/30/2006 |
| Event Day of the Week | Sunday |
| Time of Event | 1150 |
| Event Time Zone | Eastern Daylight Time |
| Event City | Ashland |
| Event State | KENTUCKY |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 41183 |
| Event Date Year | 2006 |
| Event Date Month | 7 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 383316N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0824417W |
| Event Location Airport | -- |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | -- |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | -- |
| 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 | 1551 Eastern Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 135 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | HTS |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 828 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 14 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | EDT |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | 1800 |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | -- |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | -- |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | Broken |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | -- |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | -- |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 5 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 29 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 23 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | -- |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Variable |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 4 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 30 |
| 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) | 20663 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA SROC |
| NTSB Notification Date | Jul 30 2006 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | DMS |
| Date of most recent change to record | Nov 29 2006 12:45PM |
| User who most recently changed record | NTSB\johb |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | Louisville, KY |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N1981V |
| NTSB Number | NYC06CA188 |
| 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 | 120 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 14192 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 1450 |
| 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 | Mar 1 2006 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | -- |
| Airframe Hours | -- |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | Yes |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | Carl D. Bailey |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | -- |
| Aircraft Owner City | Huntington |
| Aircraft Owner State | WV |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 25701 |
| 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 | DWU |
| Departure City | Ashland |
| Departure State | KY |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1150 |
| Departure Time Zone | EDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | -- |
| Destination Airport Code | I41 |
| Destination City | HUNTINGTON |
| Destination State | WV |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Climb |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Sep 7 2006 9:44AM |
| User who most recently changed record | ANDJ |
| Since inspection or accident | -- |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | -- |
| Runway Length | -- |
| Runway Width | -- |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |