Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70807
Wednesday, June 20, 2007 10:30 CST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The airplane lost engine lost power while on final approach after the pilot selected an empty fuel cell during the landing check. The pilot reported that he completed the landing checklist and was cleared to land on Runway 31. While approximately 5 miles out on final approach, the pilot was instructed by approach control to fly a heading of 280-degrees for a right base for Runway 04R. The pilot reported that as he performed his GUMPS check (gas, undercarriage, mixture, propeller, and switches), he moved the fuel selector from the left tank to the right tank. The pilot added that at this point, the engine started losing power. The pilot then moved the fuel selector back to the left side to no avail. The pilot declared an emergency and informed the control tower that he would be landing at a nearby football field. About 500 feet short of the intended landing site, the airplane's right wing clipped a tree. The airplane then came to rest in a residential area, with the right wing on top of a house and the left wing on an automobile approximately 2 nautical miles short of the destination airport. The wings and fuselage sustained structural damage. The engine and propeller were also damaged. The FAA inspector, who responded to the site, found that the airplane's fuel selector was not in the left indent position. Five gallons of fuel was drained out of the left fuel tank.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Fuel starvation as result of the pilot's failure to properly position the fuel selector. A contributing factor was the lack of suitable terrain for the forced landing.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 6/20/2007
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 1030
Event Time Zone Central Standard Time
Event City Baton Rouge
Event State LOUISIANA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 70807
Event Date Year 2007
Event Date Month 6
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 303159N
Event Location Longitude 0910859W
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 Pilot
Time of the weather observation
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) --
Weather Observation Facility ID --
Elevation of weather observation facility --
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) --
Time Zone of the weather observation --
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) 28
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 21
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 40
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 4
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.11
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 21943
NTSB Notification Source Regional Operations Center FTW
NTSB Notification Date Jun 20 2007 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Jul 25 2007 12:22PM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\lema
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office Baton Rouge, Louisiana

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N4803U
NTSB Number DFW07CA142
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 --
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Cessna
Aircraft Model 206
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number U20605109
Certified Max Gross Weight 3600
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 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection May 1 2007 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 12695
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Gulf Coast Aerial Mapping
Aircraft Owner Street Address 4242 Harding Blvd.
Aircraft Owner City Baton Rouge
Aircraft Owner State LA
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 70807
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 4242 Harding Blvd.
Operator City Baton Rouge
Operator State LA
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 70807
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) Aerial Observation
Second Pilot on Board --
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code BTR
Departure City Baton Rouge
Departure State LA
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 830
Departure Time Zone CST
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code BTR
Destination City Baton Rouge
Destination State LA
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jul 17 2007 5:29PM
User who most recently changed record CASH
Since inspection or accident Time of Accident
Event Location Runway Number and Location --
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --