Cape Code Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Marstons Mill, Massachusetts 02648
Saturday, May 5, 2007 11:05 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot checked the fuel quantity with a wooden stick and estimated 21 gallons of fuel was onboard for the parachute flight. The takeoff and climb to 10,000 feet msl, and release of the jumpers, was normal. On the return to the airport, while on the turn to base leg, the engine lost power. During the forced landing, the airplane collided with a tree and a house. Post accident examination of the airplane showed about 3 gallons of aviation fuel was recovered from the wreckage. The airplane's Type Certificate Data Sheet has an annotation of 10 gallons of the total fuel is unusable. Examination of the engine assembly, engine accessories, and airframe fuel system showed no evidence of precrash mechanical failure or malfunction.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's improper preflight planning and preparation resulting in an in-flight loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/5/2007
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1105
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City Marstons Mill
Event State MASSACHUSETTS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 02648
Event Date Year 2007
Event Date Month 5
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 414107N
Event Location Longitude 0702408W
Event Location Airport Cape Code Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 2B1
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 1.5
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 103
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1056 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 270
Weather Observation Facility ID KHYA
Elevation of weather observation facility 98
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 5
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height --
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
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) 17
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 6
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 30
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 8
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.1
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) 24291
NTSB Notification Source FAA NEROC
NTSB Notification Date May 5 2007 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Sep 26 2008 6:40PM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\lema
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office Boston FSDO

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N403RA
NTSB Number MIA07LA092
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 182A
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 34026
Certified Max Gross Weight 2550
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 5
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Aug 1 2006 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 56
Airframe Hours 6304
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Cape Cod Skydive, Inc
Aircraft Owner Street Address 1000 Race Lane
Aircraft Owner City Marston Mill
Aircraft Owner State MA
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 02698
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name --
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
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) Skydiving
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code 2B1
Departure City Marstons Mill
Departure State MA
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1035
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code --
Destination City --
Destination State --
Destination Country --
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Sep 9 2008 10:55AM
User who most recently changed record KENJ
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 --