Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Bobby L Chain Muni Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Stringer, Mississippi 39481
Monday, December 3, 2007 9:45 CST
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The 72-hour private pilot reported that approximately 2-hours and 10-minutes into his 425-nautical mile flight, while in cruise flight at 5,500 feet MSL, his single-engine airplane experienced a complete loss of engine power. Several attempts to re-start the engine were unsuccessful and the pilot elected to execute a forced landing to a grass field. During the emergency descent, the pilot noted that the left and right fuel gauges indicated approximately one-fourth a tank of fuel per side. During the landing roll the nose landing gear sunk into the soft ground and the airplane nosed-over coming to rest in an inverted position. The pilot was able to exit the airplane unassisted. A Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector responded to the accident site and examined the airplane. The inspector reported that both fuel tanks were found empty and that they did not appear to be compromised. In addition, the inspector reported that he did not observe fuel stains suggesting the fuel had leaked out. The inspector further reported that the right wing had sustained structural damage. The pilot reported that he performed a pre-flight inspection of the airplane and visually verified that both fuel tanks were full prior to departure. Fueling records at the departure airport established that the airplane was last fueled two days earlier, with the addition of 30.6 gallons of fuel. The homebuilt airplane had a total fuel capacity of 38-gallons, which provides for a cross-country range of approximately 3 hours and 45 minutes. The pilot had planned for a 2 hour and 29 minute flight. The airplane was powered by a Lycoming O-360-A1D engine. According to the operator's manual for the engine, the normal fuel consumption rate for that engine is 10.5 gallons per hour at 2,450 rpm (75 percent rated power).
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion. A contributing factor was the lack of suitable terrain for the forced landing.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 12/3/2007 |
| Event Day of the Week | Monday |
| Time of Event | 945 |
| Event Time Zone | Central Standard Time |
| Event City | STRINGER |
| Event State | MISSISSIPPI |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 39481 |
| Event Date Year | 2007 |
| Event Date Month | 12 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 315123N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0891421W |
| Event Location Airport | BOBBY L CHAIN MUNI |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | HBG |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | On Airport |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | 20 |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | -- |
| Airport Elevation | 151 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1453 Central Standard Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 182 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | KHBG |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 151 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 20 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | CST |
| 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) | 9 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 4 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 360 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 8 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 30.37 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | KHBG 031453Z AUTO 36008KT 10SM CLR 09/04 A3037 RMK |
| 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 | 1 |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | -- |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 22842 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA |
| NTSB Notification Date | Nov 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 | Dec 20 2007 6:59AM |
| User who most recently changed record | NTSB\johb |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | JACKSON, Mississippi |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N29RV |
| NTSB Number | DFW08CA042 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | VFR |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | No |
| Damage | Substantial |
| Aircraft Fire | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | Vans Aircraft |
| Aircraft Model | 6A |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 22789 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 1650 |
| Aircraft Category | Airplane |
| Aircraft Registration Class | -- |
| Aircraft is a homebuilt? | Yes |
| 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 | Continuous Airworthiness |
| Date of Last Inspection | Jul 1 2007 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | -- |
| Airframe Hours | 772 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | JAMIE SMITH |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 2108 NORTH MOUNTIAN GROVE ROAD |
| Aircraft Owner City | ALMA |
| Aircraft Owner State | AR |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 72921 |
| 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 | FSM |
| Departure City | FORT SMITH |
| Departure State | AR |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | -- |
| Departure Time Zone | -- |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | -- |
| Destination Airport Code | BFM |
| Destination City | MOBILE |
| Destination State | AL |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Cruise |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Dec 12 2007 11:22AM |
| User who most recently changed record | CASH |
| 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 | -- |