Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Copiah County Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Gallman, Mississippi 39083
Tuesady, June 2, 2009 15:55 CDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
After maintenance was performed that required the draining of the fuel tanks and removal and reinstallation of the right wing, the pilot-rated mechanics performed a test flight of the accident airplane in the airport traffic pattern. While turning from the base leg onto final approach for the runway, the airplane experienced a total loss of power. The pilot made a right turn in the direction of a field; the airplane then struck trees and impacted terrain in a nearly flat, inverted attitude. A postcrash fire then ensued. Examination of the wreckage revealed no evidence of any preimpact malfunctions of the engine or airplane. During examination of the fuel system it was revealed that the fuel system consisted of four fuel tanks, each with a single fuel outlet located at the lower rear corner of the fuel tank. Further examination of the fuel system and the existing burn patterns from the postcrash fire also revealed that the right main fuel tank and the left auxiliary fuel tank had contained little or no fuel in them prior to the accident. The lack of fuel in the right main fuel tank and the location of the fuel outlet, in combination with the airplane's nose-low attitude during descent to the runway and the left bank required to turn from the base to final leg of the traffic pattern, likely resulted in air entering the fuel system from the empty or nearly empty right main fuel tank.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
A total loss of engine power due to fuel starvation as a result of the flightcrew's improper fuel management.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 6/2/2009 |
| Event Day of the Week | Tuesday |
| Time of Event | 1555 |
| Event Time Zone | Central Daylight Time |
| Event City | Gallman |
| Event State | MISSISSIPPI |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 39083 |
| Event Date Year | 2009 |
| Event Date Month | 6 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 315410N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0902207W |
| Event Location Airport | Copiah County Airport |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | M11 |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | On Airport |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | -- |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | -- |
| Airport Elevation | 443 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1553 Central Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 360 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | HKS |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 341 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 27 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | CDT |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | -- |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | 7000 |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Few |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | -- |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | -- |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | -- |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 10 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 31 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 18 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 170 |
| 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) | 29.99 |
| 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 | 2 |
| Injury Total Minor | -- |
| Injury Total None | -- |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | 2 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 28453 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA Southern Region ROC |
| NTSB Notification Date | -- |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | May 24 2011 11:20AM |
| User who most recently changed record | kenj |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N1399X |
| NTSB Number | ERA09LA316 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | Unknown |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | No |
| Damage | Substantial |
| Aircraft Fire | Ground |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | Rick Campbell |
| Aircraft Model | Zenith-STOL CH801 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 8-4399 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 2200 |
| 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 | 4 |
| 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 | -- |
| ELT Installed | Unknown |
| ELT Activated | Unknown |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | Unknown |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | Roger Newman |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | -- |
| Aircraft Owner City | Tylertown |
| Aircraft Owner State | MS |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 39667 |
| Operator is an individual? | Yes |
| Operator Name | Gerry Mosley |
| Operator Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Street Address | -- |
| Operator City | Wesson |
| Operator State | MS |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 39191 |
| 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 | Yes |
| Departure Point Same as Event | Yes |
| Departure Airport Code | M11 |
| Departure City | Gallman |
| Departure State | MS |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1554 |
| Departure Time Zone | CDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere |
| Destination Airport Code | M11 |
| Destination City | Gallman |
| Destination State | MS |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | -- |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | May 24 2011 11:20AM |
| User who most recently changed record | kenj |
| Since inspection or accident | -- |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | 17 |
| Runway Length | 3000 |
| Runway Width | 75 |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |