Hamilton Municipal Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Danube, New York 13365
Sunday, August 26, 2007 14:30 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot flew some of the cross-country flight with the fuel selector positioned to the right main fuel tank, rather than both fuel tanks, as the airplane seemed heavy on the right side. During the return flight to his home airport, the airplane experienced a total loss of engine power and collided with a fence post during a forced landing. Examination of the wreckage revealed that approximately 10 gallons of fuel was found in the left main fuel tank, and 2 gallons in the right main fuel tank. The engine was started and ran normally at idle to 1,700 rpm, followed by a normal shutdown. No mechanical anomalies were noted during examination or run-up of the engine. The fuel limitations for standard fuel tanks on the make and model accident airplane were 30.5 gallons in each fuel tank. There are a total of 55 gallons of usable fuel and 6 gallons of unusable fuel in all flight conditions. This amounts to 27.5 gallons of usable fuel and 3 gallons of unusable fuel for each main fuel tank.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's mismanagement of the fuel supply.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/26/2007
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1430
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City Danube
Event State NEW YORK
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 13365
Event Date Year 2007
Event Date Month 8
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 425856N
Event Location Longitude 0744816W
Event Location Airport Hamilton Municipal airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID VGC
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 5
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 1134
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1430 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 16
Weather Observation Facility ID RME
Elevation of weather observation facility 504
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 24
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 2500
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 1800
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Few
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) 21
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 18
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) 30.05
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) 24288
NTSB Notification Source Albany FSDO
NTSB Notification Date Aug 26 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 Albany FSDO

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N1344Q
NTSB Number ATL07LA120
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 A185F
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 18503477
Certified Max Gross Weight 3100
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 Oct 1 2006 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 24
Airframe Hours 2537
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name William A. Osuchowski
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City Pompey
Aircraft Owner State NY
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 13138
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name --
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
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 NONE
Departure City Meredith
Departure State NH
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1300
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code VGC
Destination City Hamilton
Destination State NY
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight Emergency landing
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Sep 9 2008 8:59PM
User who most recently changed record grer
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 --