Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Louisville International Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Louisville, Kentucky 40213
Tuesady, April 6, 2010 20:36 EDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The pilot stated that he received a weather briefing prior to departing on the 277-nautical mile cross-country flight. The airplane's departure fuel level was "above the tabs, but not full." Information from the manufacturer's Pilot's Operating Handbook (POH) indicated that, when the fuel level was at the tabs, the fuel quantity was 35 gallons. The maximum usable fuel capacity was 48 gallons. The pilot stated that the weight of his baggage precluded him from operating with full fuel tanks, and that he encountered "stronger than expected headwinds" along the route of flight. About 2030, when the airplane was 1 mile from the destination airport, the engine "quit." The pilot executed a forced landing on a road, and the airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage and both wings. Examination by a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector revealed that each of the airplane's fuel tanks contained approximately 1 to 2 cups of fuel. No fuel was found in the gascolator or the carburetor. The pilot reported there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures, and in an interview with the FAA inspector, the pilot stated that he should have stopped for fuel en route. According to the POH, at 75 percent power, and operating with a "lean mixture," the airplane's fuel consumption rate was 10 gallons per hour.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
A loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion as a result of the pilot's inadequate fuel management.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 4/6/2010 |
| Event Day of the Week | Tuesday |
| Time of Event | 2036 |
| Event Time Zone | Eastern Daylight Time |
| Event City | Louisville |
| Event State | KENTUCKY |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 40213 |
| Event Date Year | 2010 |
| Event Date Month | 4 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 381132N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0854424W |
| Event Location Airport | Louisville International |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | SDF |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | Off Airport/Airstrip |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | 1 |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | -- |
| Airport Elevation | 501 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 2053 Eastern Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 360 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | SDF |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 501 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 1 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | EDT |
| Lighting Conditions | Night |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | -- |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | 25000 |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Scattered |
| 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) | 27 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 6 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 190 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 14 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | 21 |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 29.73 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | -- |
| Event Highest Injury | Serious |
| On Ground, Fatal Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Minor Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Serious Injuries | -- |
| Injury Total Fatal | -- |
| Injury Total Minor | -- |
| Injury Total None | -- |
| Injury Total Serious | 1 |
| Injury Total All | 1 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 27174 |
| 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 | Aug 24 2010 12:14PM |
| User who most recently changed record | johb |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N4247T |
| NTSB Number | ERA10CA214 |
| 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 | PIPER |
| Aircraft Model | PA28 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | 180 |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 28-7205117 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 2400 |
| Aircraft Category | Airplane |
| Aircraft Registration Class | -- |
| Aircraft is a homebuilt? | No |
| Flight Crew Seats | 2 |
| Cabin Crew Seats | -- |
| Passenger Seats | 2 |
| Total number of seats on the aircraft | 4 |
| Number of Engines | 1 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Fixed |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | Annual |
| Date of Last Inspection | Jan 18 2010 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | -- |
| Airframe Hours | 1354 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | Unknown |
| Aircraft Owner Name | Allen Friedlander |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | -- |
| Aircraft Owner City | Southfield |
| Aircraft Owner State | MI |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 48034 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | Allen Friedlander |
| Operator Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Street Address | -- |
| Operator City | Southfield |
| Operator State | MI |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 48034 |
| 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 | Y47 |
| Departure City | New Hudson |
| Departure State | MI |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1605 |
| Departure Time Zone | EDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | crash at destination city |
| Destination Airport Code | SDF |
| Destination City | Louisville |
| Destination State | KY |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | -- |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Aug 24 2010 12:14PM |
| User who most recently changed record | johb |
| 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 | -- |