Mesquite Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Mesquite, Nevada 89027
Saturday, December 17, 2011 13:00 PST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

Prior to the flight, the pilot fueled the airplane with 16 gallons of jet fuel. He planned to make two local flights carrying skydivers aloft. During the second skydiving flight, he delayed releasing the skydivers due to traffic in the area. As he turned the airplane back toward the drop zone, the airplane's engine experienced a total loss of power. The pilot signaled the skydivers to exit the airplane, feathered the propeller, and executed a forced landing to the runway. The airplane landed long, went off the end of the runway, across a road, and finally came to rest on a golf course. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the wings. The pilot stated that the airplane and engine had no mechanical failures or malfunctions during the flight. He also stated that the cause of the loss of engine power was poor fuel management and fuel exhaustion.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's improper preflight planning, which resulted in a loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 12/17/2011
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1300
Event Time Zone Pacific Standard Time
Event City Mesquite
Event State NEVADA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 89027
Event Date Year 2011
Event Date Month 12
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 364959N
Event Location Longitude 1140321W
Event Location Airport Mesquite Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID K67L
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 --
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1255 Pacific Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 45
Weather Observation Facility ID KSGU
Elevation of weather observation facility --
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 27
Time Zone of the weather observation PST
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) 9
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -6
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 240
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 4
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.28
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Minor
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 1
Injury Total None 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 29513
NTSB Notification Source FAA Operations Center
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information --
Date of most recent change to record Feb 23 2012 9:44AM
User who most recently changed record johb
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N275PM
NTSB Number WPR12CA069
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed Unknown
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CESSNA
Aircraft Model 208
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 20800119
Certified Max Gross Weight 8000
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class --
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats 1
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 10
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name SPOKANE TURBINE SKYDIVING LLC
Aircraft Owner Street Address 11019 S WELCOME RD
Aircraft Owner City MEDICAL LAKE
Aircraft Owner State WA
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 99022-9540
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name Skydive Mesquite
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address --
Operator City Mesquite
Operator State NV
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 89027
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) Skydiving
Second Pilot on Board --
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code K67L
Departure City Mesquite
Departure State NV
Departure Country USA
Departure Time --
Departure Time Zone PST
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code K67L
Destination City Mesquite
Destination State NV
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 5 2012 4:07PM
User who most recently changed record coos
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 19
Runway Length 5100
Runway Width 75
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --