St Landry Parish Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Opelousas, Louisiana 70570
Sunday, May 3, 2009 18:20 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The commercial pilot was 500 feet above ground level on approach to his destination airport when the single-engine airplane lost power. The pilot made a forced landing to a rain-soaked field approximately 8 miles north of the runway. On touchdown the nose gear sank into the muddy terrain and collapsed. According to the pilot the airplane had approximately 15 gallons of fuel on board upon departure. An on-scene inspection of the fuel tanks indicated 2 1/2 gallons in the left tank and 1 gallon in the right tank. The aircraft manual states 1 1/2 gallons of fuel is unusable in the tanks. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the firewall. The pilot and passenger were not injured.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

A total loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion as a result of the pilot's failure to refuel the airplane prior to flight.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/3/2009
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1820
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City Opelousas
Event State LOUISIANA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 70570
Event Date Year 2009
Event Date Month 5
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 304011N
Event Location Longitude 0920604W
Event Location Airport St Landry Parish Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID KOPL
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 8
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 75
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1753 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 180
Weather Observation Facility ID KOPL
Elevation of weather observation facility 75
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 8
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 4800
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height --
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
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) 20
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 18
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 110
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 3
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29.86
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report METAR KLFT 032253Z 11003KT 10SM -RA BKN022 BKN048
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 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 25608
NTSB Notification Source Baton Rouge Flight Standards D
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information --
Date of most recent change to record Oct 26 2009 11:48AM
User who most recently changed record gamw
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N4590K
NTSB Number CEN09CA280
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 CESSNA
Aircraft Model 152
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 15280319
Certified Max Gross Weight 1670
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 2
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Apr 24 2009 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 7070
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type Unknown
Aircraft Owner Name THOMAS WOLF TRUCKING INC
Aircraft Owner Street Address 118 WINDERMERE CIR
Aircraft Owner City YOUNGSVILLE
Aircraft Owner State LA
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 70592-5633
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name T & M Aviation, INC
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address --
Operator City Abbeville
Operator State LA
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 70510
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 M79
Departure City Rayville
Departure State LA
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1715
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code KOPL
Destination City Opelousas
Destination State LA
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jun 19 2009 1:39PM
User who most recently changed record gamw
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 --