Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Carrollton, Kentucky 47250
Wednesday, June 25, 2008 12:00 EDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
Prior to departure, the pilot visually observed approximately 12 gallons of fuel in the left wing tank and 8 gallons in the right fuel tank, of the Grumman AA-5A. His examination of the fuel gauges confirmed the same amount. He performed a run-up inspection, departed from the airport, and after approximately 45 minutes he noticed the engine oil temperature began to rise. Shortly after, the engine rpm decreased to 1800 rpm, the pilot initiated a descent, and looked for a place to land. He proceeded toward a grass landing strip and when the airplane was at an altitude of 500 feet, the engine lost power. He realized he would not be able to make it to the landing site, and performed a forced landing to the river ahead of him. The airplane came to rest upright and floated for several minutes, while the occupants egressed and swam to shore. After the airplane was recovered from the river, 10-12 gallons of fuel were drained from the right wing fuel tank. The left fuel tank was empty, and the fuel selector was selected to the left tank.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The pilot's improper fuel tank selection, which resulted in fuel starvation and subsequent loss of engine power.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 6/25/2008 |
| Event Day of the Week | Wednesday |
| Time of Event | 1200 |
| Event Time Zone | Eastern Daylight Time |
| Event City | Carrollton |
| Event State | KENTUCKY |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 47250 |
| Event Date Year | 2008 |
| Event Date Month | 6 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 384135N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0850840W |
| 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 | 819 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1153 Eastern Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 180 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | LOU |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 546 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 34 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | EDT |
| 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) | 29 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 18 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 210 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 6 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 30.19 |
| 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 | 1 |
| Injury Total None | 2 |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | 1 |
| Investigating Agency | -- |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 24450 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA SROC |
| NTSB Notification Date | Jun 25 2008 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Oct 20 2008 1:53PM |
| User who most recently changed record | kenj |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | Louisville FSDO |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N26316 |
| NTSB Number | NYC08CA288 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | None |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | -- |
| Damage | Substantial |
| Aircraft Fire | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | Grumman American |
| Aircraft Model | AA-5A |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | AA5A0530 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 2200 |
| 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 | May 1 2008 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | -- |
| Airframe Hours | 5150 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | HFG INC |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 3910 W IMS LN |
| Aircraft Owner City | MADISON |
| Aircraft Owner State | IN |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 47250 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | Glen Moorman |
| Operator Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Street Address | -- |
| Operator City | Union |
| Operator State | KY |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 47250 |
| Operator Code | -- |
| Owner has at least one certificate | None |
| Other Operator of large aircraft? | No |
| 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 | IMS |
| Departure City | MADISON |
| Departure State | IN |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1012 |
| Departure Time Zone | EDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere |
| Destination Airport Code | IMS |
| Destination City | MADISON |
| Destination State | IN |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Cruise |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Oct 20 2008 1:54PM |
| User who most recently changed record | kenj |
| Since inspection or accident | Last Inspection |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | N/A |
| Runway Length | -- |
| Runway Width | -- |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |