Portage County Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Edinburg, Ohio 44272
Tuesady, January 9, 2007 11:08 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The airplane impacted trees and terrain during a forced landing following a loss of engine power during approach. The pilot stated that the airplane lost engine power due to "a depletion of fuel." The pilot attempted to land in a plowed field but reported not having sufficient altitude to clear trees at the field's edge. The pilot stated that he "stalled the airplane into the top of the trees." The pilot reported the airplane then fell approximately forty feet to the ground in a nose down attitude. Inspection of airplane revealed that the fuel system did not contain any remaining usable fuel. The fuel system was intact and no fuel smell was noted at the accident site. The pilot reported that the accident flight was three hours and eight minutes in duration. The pilot stated that the airplane had 29 gallons of fuel on board at departure. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's improper in-flight decision not to refuel prior to fuel exhaustion. A factor to the accident was the tree line that the airplane impacted during the forced landing.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 1/9/2007
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 1108
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City Edinburg
Event State OHIO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 44272
Event Date Year 2007
Event Date Month 1
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 410555N
Event Location Longitude 0811128W
Event Location Airport Portage County Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 29G
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 7
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 1197
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1551 Central Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 206
Weather Observation Facility ID CAK
Elevation of weather observation facility 1228
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 20
Time Zone of the weather observation CST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 1600
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) 8
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 0
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 3
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 280
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) 29.83
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) 21233
NTSB Notification Source FAA
NTSB Notification Date Jan 9 2007 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Mar 26 2007 9:33AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\lema
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office Federal Aviation Administration - Cleveland FSDO

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N54DT
NTSB Number CHI07CA057
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? Yes
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Barron
Aircraft Model Thorp T18
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 2
Certified Max Gross Weight --
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class --
Aircraft is a homebuilt? Yes
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 Conditional
Date of Last Inspection --
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 Robert E. Carpenter
Aircraft Owner Street Address 590 Lake Forest Dr SE
Aircraft Owner City Pinehurst
Aircraft Owner State NC
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 28374
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 No
Departure Airport Code SOP
Departure City Southern Pines
Departure State NC
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 806
Departure Time Zone EST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code 29G
Destination City Ravenna
Destination State OH
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight Emergency landing
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Feb 2 2007 11:06AM
User who most recently changed record DINC
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 --