Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Odel Williamson Municipal Arpt Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Ocean Isle Beach, North Carolina 28469
Saturday, April 4, 2009 17:25 EDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The pilot visually inspected each fuel tank before departure but incorrectly believed the fuel tanks were full. Each fuel tank contained more than 22 gallons but less than 25 gallons usable fuel. When near the destination airport the engine experienced a total loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion. The pilot proceeded towards an alternate airport, but was unable to land there and landed gear-up short of the intended runway. A total of 3 to 4 ounces of fuel were drained from the wing fuel tanks. No tank damage and no fuel leaks were noted from the fuel filler caps or fuel tank sump drain valves. Both fuel quantity gauges were noted to read empty when aircraft's battery power was applied. Although an engine-monitoring instrument with fuel flow capability was installed after the airplane was manufactured, installation instructions required placards to read that the airplane's fuel quantity gauges should be used to determine the fuel level in the tanks, and the original fuel flow gauge is the primary instrument for fuel flow. Postaccident examination of the instrument panel revealed neither placard was installed. Though the airplane was modified by installation of a turbocharger which required an increase in fuel flow, the increase was within the limits of the fuel flow transducer. The calculated average fuel flow during the accident flight was 10.3 gallons-per-hour, which was consistent with the average calculated fuel flows on two flights before the engine was overhauled. Fueling records at the intended destination reflect that on one occasion he landed with no more than 5.0 gallons of usable fuel remaining.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The pilot's failure to divert to an alternate airport resulting in the total loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion. Contributing to the accident were the pilot's incorrect determination of the fuel load prior to the flight, the lack of placards near the engine-monitoring instrument, and the pilot's reliance of the on-board engine-monitoring instrument instead of the fuel quantity gauges.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 4/4/2009 |
| Event Day of the Week | Saturday |
| Time of Event | 1725 |
| Event Time Zone | Eastern Daylight Time |
| Event City | Ocean Isle Beach |
| Event State | NORTH CAROLINA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 28469 |
| Event Date Year | 2009 |
| Event Date Month | 4 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 335447N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0782543W |
| Event Location Airport | Odel Williamson Municipal Arpt |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | 60J |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | On Airport |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | 1 |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | -- |
| Airport Elevation | 32 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1653 Eastern Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 256 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | CRE |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 32 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 15 |
| 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) | 18 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 8 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 230 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 16 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 29.91 |
| 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) | 25934 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA Southern ROC |
| NTSB Notification Date | -- |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Oct 5 2009 2:37PM |
| User who most recently changed record | johb |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N1838Q |
| NTSB Number | ERA09CA232 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | IFR |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | Yes |
| Damage | Substantial |
| Aircraft Fire | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | CESSNA |
| Aircraft Model | 177RG |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 177RG0238 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 2800 |
| 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 | Aug 7 2008 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 10 |
| Airframe Hours | 2967 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | Yes |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | Unknown |
| Aircraft Owner Name | FLY FOR FOOD INC |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 3511 SILVERSIDE RD STE 105 |
| Aircraft Owner City | WILMINGTON |
| Aircraft Owner State | DE |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 19810-4902 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | FLY FOR FOOD INC |
| Operator Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Street Address | 3511 SILVERSIDE RD STE 105 |
| Operator City | WILMINGTON |
| Operator State | DE |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 19810-4902 |
| 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 | DXR |
| Departure City | Danbury |
| Departure State | CT |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1325 |
| Departure Time Zone | EDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | -- |
| Destination Airport Code | CRE |
| Destination City | N. Myrtle Beach |
| Destination State | SC |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | -- |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Aug 25 2009 1:04PM |
| User who most recently changed record | kenj |
| 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 | -- |