Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

San Angelo, Texas 76904
Sunday, April 17, 2011 13:20 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

According to a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector, the pilot reported that the flight experienced a loss of engine power during the second leg of the cross-country flight. The pilot elected to perform a forced landing to a field. During the forced landing the airplane's right flap was damaged and the right wing spar was bent. The FAA inspector attributed the loss of engine power to fuel starvation. The left fuel tank had 17 gallons of fuel and the right tank was empty. The FAA inspector confirmed that there were no mechanical anomalies or failures with the airplane, engine, or related systems prior to the accident.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's improper fuel management, which resulted in a loss of engine power due to fuel starvation.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 4/17/2011
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1320
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City San Angelo
Event State TEXAS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 76904
Event Date Year 2011
Event Date Month 4
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 310659N
Event Location Longitude 1002352W
Event Location Airport --
Event Location Nearest Airport ID --
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 360
Weather Observation Facility ID KSJT
Elevation of weather observation facility --
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 20
Time Zone of the weather observation --
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) 28
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 9
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 190
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 17
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 27
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29.83
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report 2011-04-17 15:51 METAR KSJT 172051Z 19016G30KT 10S
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 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 28644
NTSB Notification Source FAA FSDO LBB
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information --
Date of most recent change to record Aug 25 2011 2:38PM
User who most recently changed record johb
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N2120J
NTSB Number CEN11CA376
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-28-161
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 28-7916198
Certified Max Gross Weight --
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 Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Mar 21 2011 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 4833
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name NUYTTEN PATRICK
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City SAN ANGELO
Aircraft Owner State TX
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 76901-5120
Operator is an individual? Yes
Operator Name Megan N Reilly
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address --
Operator City Algonquin
Operator State IL
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 60102
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 KT82
Departure City Fredricksburg
Departure State TX
Departure Country USA
Departure Time --
Departure Time Zone --
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code --
Destination City San Angelo
Destination State TX
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Aug 17 2011 2:24PM
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 --