Cobb County Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Kennesaw, Georgia 30144
Wednesday, August 1, 2007 17:20 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

While on a short cross-country flight, the pilot contacted an air traffic control tower, at an airport that was not his intended destination. The pilot reported that he was approximately 5 miles north of the airport, low on fuel, and requested to land quickly. The air traffic controller instructed the pilot to enter a left base leg for runway 9. The pilot subsequently stated that he was out of fuel, and declared an emergency. The air traffic controller advised the pilot that the airplane was 2 miles north of the airport, and asked if the pilot was in the vicinity of a highway. The pilot replied that he was "stalling," and the airplane impacted a wooded area in a nose-down attitude. Examination of the wreckage revealed that there was no fuel in the fuel tanks, and no evidence of fuel throughout the fuel system. In addition, there was no evidence of a fuel leak.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's inadequate preflight planning, which resulted in a total loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion during approach.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/1/2007
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 1720
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City Kennesaw
Event State GEORGIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 30144
Event Date Year 2007
Event Date Month 8
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 340047N
Event Location Longitude 0843549W
Event Location Airport Cobb County Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID RYY
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 2
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 1040
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1724 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 180
Weather Observation Facility ID RYY
Elevation of weather observation facility 1040
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 2
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 7500
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 6000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 32
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 18
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 150
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 3
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29.95
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) 23104
NTSB Notification Source SROC
NTSB Notification Date Aug 1 2007 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Feb 28 2008 3:59PM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\johb
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office Atlanta, GA

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N177RV
NTSB Number NYC07LA182
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 177RG
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 177RG1307
Certified Max Gross Weight 2800
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 4
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection May 1 2007 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 3978.2
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Hilltop Ventures Inc
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City Taylorsville
Aircraft Owner State GA
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 30178
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name Eric P Ward
Operator Same as Owner? No
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 AHN
Departure City Athens
Departure State GA
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1630
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code VPC
Destination City Cartersville
Destination State GA
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight Emergency landing
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Feb 13 2008 5:46PM
User who most recently changed record MUZD
Since inspection or accident Last Inspection
Event Location Runway Number and Location 9
Runway Length 6305
Runway Width 75
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --