Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Franklin County State Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Highgate, Vermont 05488
Saturday, October 3, 2009 11:45 EDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
According to the pilot, he was conducting multiple 10- to 15-minute "Young Eagle" flights. After taking off on the fifth flight, and as the airplane reached 300 feet, the engine lost power. The pilot switched fuel tanks and verified that the fuel pump was on, but to no avail. He then force-landed the airplane on the departure end of the runway. However, the airplane continued off the end of the runway and through a grassy overrun for about 100 yards, until it impacted a fence, substantially damaging both wings. The pilot noted that there were two main fuel tanks and two auxiliary fuel tanks on the airplane, and that during the first four flights, he only utilized fuel from the left main tank. Prior to the fifth flight, both auxiliary tanks and the right main tank were full, and the left main tank indicated 1/4 full. The pilot initially switched fuel feed to the right main tank, but then decided to utilize the remaining fuel in the left main tank, and switched back to that tank before takeoff. Postflight examination of the left fuel tank revealed no fuel in the tank. The pilot also stated that there were no preexisting mechanical anomalies with the airplane.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The pilot’s improper fuel management which resulted in loss of engine power due to fuel starvation.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 10/3/2009 |
| Event Day of the Week | Saturday |
| Time of Event | 1145 |
| Event Time Zone | Eastern Daylight Time |
| Event City | Highgate |
| Event State | VERMONT |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 05488 |
| Event Date Year | 2009 |
| Event Date Month | 10 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 445625N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0730550W |
| Event Location Airport | Franklin County State Airport |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | KFSO |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | On Airport |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | 0 |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | -- |
| Airport Elevation | 228 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1545 Coordinated Universal Time? Same as GMT |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 0 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | KFSO |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 228 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 0 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | UTC |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | 2900 |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | -- |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | -- |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | Overcast |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | -- |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | -- |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 10 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 14 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 12 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 160 |
| 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) | 29.9 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | -- |
| 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 | 4 |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | -- |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 26421 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA New England ROC |
| NTSB Notification Date | -- |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Apr 6 2010 11:12AM |
| User who most recently changed record | johb |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N9237P |
| NTSB Number | ERA10CA002 |
| 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 | PIPER |
| Aircraft Model | PA-24-260 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 24-4736 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 3200 |
| 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 | Oct 3 2009 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | -- |
| Airframe Hours | 4977 |
| ELT Installed | No |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | Robert Desmarais |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | -- |
| Aircraft Owner City | Essex Junction |
| Aircraft Owner State | VT |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 05452-2517 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | Robert Desmarais |
| Operator Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Street Address | -- |
| Operator City | Essex Junction |
| Operator State | VT |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 05452-2517 |
| 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 | Yes |
| Departure Airport Code | KFSO |
| Departure City | Highgate |
| Departure State | VT |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | -- |
| Departure Time Zone | EDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere |
| Destination Airport Code | KFSO |
| Destination City | Highgate |
| Destination State | VT |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | -- |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Apr 6 2010 11:12AM |
| User who most recently changed record | johb |
| Since inspection or accident | Time of Accident |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | 19 |
| Runway Length | 3000 |
| Runway Width | 60 |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |