Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Paris, Tennessee 38242
Monday, April 21, 2008 9:50 CDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The certificated commercial pilot was the first registered owner of the amateur-built light sport airplane, but he did not build the airplane. On the day of the accident, after two aerial application flights, he returned to his airport to replenish the application chemical for a third trip to the same agricultural field. About 30 minutes later, a witness heard the engine "sputter" during a spray run, and observed the airplane begin a climbing right turn back towards the airport. The engine stopped and restarted, and the airplane began another climb in the direction of the airport. The engine stopped a second time, and two witnesses saw the airplane descend without engine power into a wooded area. The airplane was substantially damaged, and the pilot was fatally injured. Autopsy results indicated that the pilot had diabetes, coronary artery disease, an enlarged heart, and gallstones. In addition, he was taking a medication commonly prescribed for neurological pain, and another for smoking cessation, both of which had the potential to cause distraction or impairment. It was not clear what role, if any, the medical conditions or medications played in the accident. He did not note any medications or medical conditions on his most recent application for medical certificate, but it is possible that the medications were initially prescribed since that application. At the time of the accident, the airplane and engine had accumulated approximately 89 hours since new. The pilot had previously experienced engine stoppage problems, and had conducted at least one forced landing due to an engine stoppage. Subsequent to that forced landing, and in the weeks just prior the accident, the pilot installed an electric fuel pump, which was in addition to the existing engine-driven fuel pump. Post-accident examination of the airplane indicated that the engine fuel system was not configured or equipped in accordance with the engine manufacturer's published guidance. Differences included fuel lines that were not thermally shrouded, lack of a fuel pump bypass circuit, lack of a fuel return line, and pump output pressure which exceeded the engine manufacturer's limits. The engine manufacturer's guidance contained multiple statements that such differences could result in engine problems and/or stoppage.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
A fuel system configuration that was not in accordance with the engine manufacturer's published guidance, which resulted in a complete loss of engine power due to fuel starvation.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 4/21/2008 |
| Event Day of the Week | Monday |
| Time of Event | 950 |
| Event Time Zone | Central Daylight Time |
| Event City | Paris |
| Event State | TENNESSEE |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 38242 |
| Event Date Year | 2008 |
| Event Date Month | 4 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 361820N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0882714W |
| 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 | 955 Central Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 45 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | HOP |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 573 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 47 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | CDT |
| 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) | 7 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 18 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 11 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 100 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 5 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 30.08 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | -- |
| Event Highest Injury | Fatal |
| On Ground, Fatal Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Minor Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Serious Injuries | -- |
| Injury Total Fatal | 1 |
| Injury Total Minor | -- |
| Injury Total None | -- |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | 1 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 26454 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA Eastern Region ROC |
| NTSB Notification Date | Apr 21 2008 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Mar 31 2010 12:03PM |
| User who most recently changed record | johb |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | Memphis, TN |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N101GP |
| NTSB Number | NYC08LA165 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 137: Agricultural |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | None |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | No |
| Damage | Substantial |
| Aircraft Fire | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | Dragon Fly Aviation |
| Aircraft Model | GT-500 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 397 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 1100 |
| 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 | 1 |
| Number of Engines | 1 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Fixed |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | Unknown |
| Date of Last Inspection | -- |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | -- |
| Airframe Hours | 89 |
| ELT Installed | Unknown |
| ELT Activated | Unknown |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | Unknown |
| Aircraft Owner Name | Joel Pennington |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | -- |
| Aircraft Owner City | Cottage Grove |
| Aircraft Owner State | TN |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 38224 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | Joel D. Pennington |
| Operator Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Street Address | -- |
| Operator City | Cottage Grove |
| Operator State | TN |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 38224 |
| Operator Code | -- |
| Owner has at least one certificate | Yes - certificate holder |
| Other Operator of large aircraft? | No |
| Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation | Agriculture |
| 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 Application |
| Second Pilot on Board | No |
| Departure Point Same as Event | No |
| Departure Airport Code | NONE |
| Departure City | Paris |
| Departure State | TN |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 930 |
| Departure Time Zone | CDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere |
| Destination Airport Code | -- |
| Destination City | Paris |
| Destination State | TN |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Emergency descent/landing |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Mar 30 2010 9:44AM |
| User who most recently changed record | johb |
| Since inspection or accident | Time of Accident |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | N/A |
| Runway Length | -- |
| Runway Width | -- |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |