Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Pryor Field Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Decatur, Alabama 35620
Friday, April 6, 2007 15:30 EDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The pilot departed on the cross country flight using the fuel from both main fuel tanks. Approximately one half hour into the flight the pilot stated that he switched both engines to the auxiliary fuel tanks. Two hours into the flight the right engine ran out of fuel. He switched the right fuel selector back to the main tank and turned on the electric boost pump. The engine surged and quit again. The pilot contacted air traffic control for a heading to the nearest airport and turned 180 degrees toward Pryor Field, Decatur, Alabama. The left engine stopped, and he turned the left engine fuel selector to the left main tank. He turned on the electric fuel boost pump and the engine failed to start. The pilot advised air traffic control that he had a fuel problem, and would not make it to the airport. He feathered the propellers and made an emergency landing in a field. After the forced landing the pilot and occupants exited the airplane uninjured. The pilot inspected both right fuel tanks and found both tanks empty. He inspected the left auxiliary tank and found it full and the left main was found with a lot of fuel. He reported that when he switched the fuel tanks to auxiliary positions he must have accidentally place the left fuel selector in the cross feed position.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The pilot's improper fuel management resulting in failure of both engines due to fuel starvation.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 4/6/2007 |
| Event Day of the Week | Friday |
| Time of Event | 1530 |
| Event Time Zone | Eastern Daylight Time |
| Event City | Decatur |
| Event State | ALABAMA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 35620 |
| Event Date Year | 2007 |
| Event Date Month | 4 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 343908N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0865626W |
| Event Location Airport | PRYOR FIELD |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | DCU |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | Off Airport/Airstrip |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | 12 |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | -- |
| Airport Elevation | 592 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1530 Eastern Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 300 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | DCU |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 592 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 12 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | EDT |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | 10000 |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | 6500 |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Scattered |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | Overcast |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | -- |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | -- |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 10 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 11 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 6 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 300 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 15 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | 25 |
| 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 | 4 |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | -- |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 21684 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA Communication Center |
| NTSB Notification Date | Apr 12 2007 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | DMS |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jun 27 2007 1:15PM |
| User who most recently changed record | NTSB\lema |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | Birmingham FSDO-09 |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N107WB |
| NTSB Number | ATL07CA068 |
| 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 | Beech |
| Aircraft Model | D50E |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | DH-332 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 7177 |
| 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 | 6 |
| Number of Engines | 2 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Retractable |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | Annual |
| Date of Last Inspection | Dec 1 2006 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 70 |
| Airframe Hours | 5870 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | Magnolia Flight Services Incorporated |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 5350 Poplar ave. Ste 875 |
| Aircraft Owner City | Memphis |
| Aircraft Owner State | TN |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 38119 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | Magnolia Flight Services Incorporated |
| Operator Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Street Address | 5350 Poplar ave. Ste 875 |
| Operator City | Memphis |
| Operator State | TN |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 38119 |
| 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 | AGS |
| Departure City | AUGUSTA |
| Departure State | GA |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1430 |
| Departure Time Zone | EDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | -- |
| Destination Airport Code | M01 |
| Destination City | MEMPHIS |
| Destination State | TN |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Emergency descent/landing |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | May 24 2007 4:32PM |
| User who most recently changed record | KENJ |
| Since inspection or accident | Last Inspection |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | NA |
| Runway Length | -- |
| Runway Width | -- |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |