Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Jacksonville, Florida 32099
Saturday, June 9, 2007 17:00 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot departed his home airport and flew to a nearby airport (a 10 minute flight), where he performed three touch-and-go landings. About 5 minutes into the return flight, the airplane's engine began to "cough and sputter," and then lost power. The pilot attempted, unsuccessfully, to restart the engine, and then performed a forced landing to a beach, during which the airplane was substantially damaged. The accident flight was the second flight since the pilot completed an annual inspection on the airplane. Prior to the annual inspection, the airplane was not flown for 14 years. The airplane was last refueled on the morning of the accident with 20 gallons of fuel, and was then flown for approximately 90 minutes, prior to the accident flight. Examination of the airplane revealed five gallons of fuel in the right fuel tank, and the left fuel tank was empty. No fuel was observed in the input line to the fuel pump, the output line from the fuel pump, or the gascolator. The airplane's fuel consumption was between 7 to 10 gallons per hour.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's failure to perform adequate pre-flight fuel consumption calculations, which resulted in a loss of power due to fuel starvation.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 6/9/2007
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1700
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City Jacksonville
Event State FLORIDA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 32099
Event Date Year 2007
Event Date Month 6
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 301720N
Event Location Longitude 0812314W
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 1656 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) --
Weather Observation Facility ID JAX
Elevation of weather observation facility 30
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) --
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 5000
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) 35
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 19
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) --
Wind Velocity Indicator Calm
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29.86
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 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 23848
NTSB Notification Source SROC
NTSB Notification Date Jun 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 Jun 9 2010 3:08PM
User who most recently changed record johb
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office MCO FSDO

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N193BA
NTSB Number NYC07LA138
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 PIPER
Aircraft Model PA38
Aircraft Series Identifier 112
Aircraft Serial Number 38-78A0083
Certified Max Gross Weight 1670
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 Jun 1 2007 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 5788
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Phillip Hobbs
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City St. Augustine
Aircraft Owner State FL
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 32092
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name Doug Lundeen
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address --
Operator City Jacksonville
Operator State FL
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 32225
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 HEG
Departure City Jacksonville
Departure State FL
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1650
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code CRG
Destination City Jacksonville
Destination State FL
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight Cruise
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jun 9 2010 3:10PM
User who most recently changed record johb
Since inspection or accident Last Inspection
Event Location Runway Number and Location N/A
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --