Gillespie County Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Fredericksburg, Texas 78624
Wednesday, November 30, 2011 11:15 CST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

While on approach to the runway, the pilot added power to the engine to adjust the approach path, and the engine did not respond. The pilot was unable to restart the engine, and he performed a forced landing to a nearby field. During the landing, the airplane struck a wire and then the ground. Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed that caps were present on the fuel tank vent lines, creating a vacuum and preventing fuel flow to the engine. The pilot said that he had placed the caps on the fuel vent lines to keep insects out of the lines and the fuel tanks and forgot to remove them during his preflight inspection. The pilot reported no preaccident mechanical malfunction or failure of the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's inadequate preflight inspection, which resulted in a subsequent loss of engine power due to fuel starvation.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 11/30/2011
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 1115
Event Time Zone Central Standard Time
Event City Fredericksburg
Event State TEXAS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 78624
Event Date Year 2011
Event Date Month 11
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 301435N
Event Location Longitude 0985433W
Event Location Airport Gillespie County Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID T82
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 1115 Central Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) --
Weather Observation Facility ID KT82
Elevation of weather observation facility 1695
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) --
Time Zone of the weather observation CST
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) 11
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 0
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) --
Variable Wind Indicator --
Wind Speed (knots) --
Wind Velocity Indicator Calm
Wind Gust Indicator --
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.25
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 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 29643
NTSB Notification Source FAA ASW ROC
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information --
Date of most recent change to record Mar 22 2012 10:21AM
User who most recently changed record johb
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N6735Q
NTSB Number CEN12LA094
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 305A
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 22658
Certified Max Gross Weight 2100
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 Annual
Date of Last Inspection Sep 20 2011 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 7100
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name HAGUE BRIAN
Aircraft Owner Street Address PO BOX 22506
Aircraft Owner City SALT LAKE CITY
Aircraft Owner State UT
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 84122-0506
Operator is an individual? Yes
Operator Name HAGUE BRIAN
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address PO BOX 22506
Operator City SALT LAKE CITY
Operator State UT
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 84122-0506
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 KBAZ
Departure City New Braunfels
Departure State TX
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1030
Departure Time Zone CST
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code T82
Destination City Fredericksburg
Destination State TX
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 26 2012 12:02PM
User who most recently changed record kaij
Since inspection or accident Time of Accident
Event Location Runway Number and Location N/A
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --