Sheboygan County Memorial Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Sheboygan, Wisconsin 53085
Sunday, June 29, 2008 13:35 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot reported that he departed with 30 gallons of fuel onboard. He estimated that the right and left fuel tanks contained 20 gallons and 10 gallons, respectively. He reported that the accident flight was 2 hours 20 minutes in duration. While on final approach the engine lost power and the airplane impacted a 6 foot wide drainage ditch. The airplane sustained damage to the left wing, the lower fuselage structure, and the nose and left landing gear. Post accident inspection of the airplane showed that the right tank was empty and there was fuel present in the left tank. The pilot reported that he planned on a fuel burn rate of 8-1/2 gallons per hour. Using that fuel burn, the calculated fuel consumption for the accident flight was 19.8 gallons. The pilot said the accident could have been prevented if he had switched fuel tanks before the loss of engine power.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's improper fuel management that led to fuel starvation and the loss of engine power. Contributing to the accident was the drainage ditch.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 6/29/2008
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1335
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City Sheboygan
Event State WISCONSIN
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 53085
Event Date Year 2008
Event Date Month 6
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 434609N
Event Location Longitude 0875108W
Event Location Airport Sheboygan County Memorial
Event Location Nearest Airport ID SBM
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 0.2
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 754
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1353 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID SBM
Elevation of weather observation facility 754
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 2900
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height --
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions --
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) 19
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 14
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 310
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 7
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29.73
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Minor
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 2
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 24087
NTSB Notification Source FAA
NTSB Notification Date Jul 1 2008 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Aug 28 2008 3:01PM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\johb
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office Federal Aviation Administration - Milwaukee FSDO

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N701DW
NTSB Number CHI08CA173
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 Beech
Aircraft Model A23A
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number M-977
Certified Max Gross Weight 2400
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 Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Jun 1 2006 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 5065
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Richard A. White
Aircraft Owner Street Address 1627 Indiana Avenue
Aircraft Owner City Sheboygan
Aircraft Owner State WI
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 53081
Operator is an individual? Yes
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 SBM
Departure City Sheboygan
Departure State WI
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1215
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code SBM
Destination City Sheboygan
Destination State WI
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight Emergency descent/landing
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Aug 11 2008 3:13PM
User who most recently changed record DINC
Since inspection or accident Time of Accident
Event Location Runway Number and Location 31
Runway Length 5000
Runway Width 75
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --