Individually Owned: 151,845
Corporate Owned: 143,699
Boonville Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Boonville, Indiana 47601
Monday, September 10, 2012 18:10 CDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The student pilot reported that he performed a preflight inspection and added 10 gallons of fuel to each tank before the solo flight. After takeoff, the airplane’s engine lost power during initial climb. He then executed a forced landing in a field. Postaccident examination of the airplane, including the fuel system and engine, found fuel in both tanks but an absence of fuel in the fuel lines from the gascolator to the mechanical fuel pump. The fuel selector was found in the off position, but the student pilot’s flight instructor reported that he had turned the fuel selector to the off position after arriving at the accident site. The instructor stated that he could not be sure, but the fuel selector may not have been fully engaged in the detent before he moved it to the off position. Although it is possible that the student pilot did not have the fuel selector properly positioned, the preimpact position of the valve could not be determined. The student pilot reported no preimpact malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
A total loss of engine power during initial climb due to fuel starvation for reasons that could not be determined because postaccident examination could not verify whether the fuel selector was properly positioned before takeoff.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 9/10/2012 |
| Event Day of the Week | Monday |
| Time of Event | 1810 |
| Event Time Zone | Central Daylight Time |
| Event City | Boonville |
| Event State | INDIANA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 47601 |
| Event Date Year | 2012 |
| Event Date Month | 9 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 380233N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0871904W |
| Event Location Airport | Boonville Airport |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | I91 |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | Off Airport/Airstrip |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | 0 |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | -- |
| Airport Elevation | 380 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1754 Central Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 270 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | EVV |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 418 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 9 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | CDT |
| 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) | 26 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 10 |
| 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) | 30.14 |
| 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) | 32357 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA - AGL - ROC |
| NTSB Notification Date | -- |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jan 24 2014 10:59AM |
| User who most recently changed record | brajo |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N5538F |
| NTSB Number | CEN12LA651 |
| 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-28-140 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 28-24937 |
| 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 | 100 Hour |
| Date of Last Inspection | Aug 13 2012 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 38 |
| Airframe Hours | 3579 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | Unknown |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | JF Aircraft LLC |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | -- |
| Aircraft Owner City | Evansville |
| Aircraft Owner State | IN |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 21054-1763 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | JF Aircraft LLC |
| Operator Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Street Address | -- |
| Operator City | Evansville |
| Operator State | IN |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 21054-1763 |
| Operator Code | -- |
| Owner has at least one certificate | None |
| Other Operator of large aircraft? | -- |
| 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) | Instructional |
| Second Pilot on Board | No |
| Departure Point Same as Event | Yes |
| Departure Airport Code | I91 |
| Departure City | Boonville |
| Departure State | IN |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1810 |
| Departure Time Zone | CDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere |
| Destination Airport Code | I91 |
| Destination City | Boonville |
| Destination State | IN |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | -- |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jan 24 2014 10:59AM |
| User who most recently changed record | brajo |
| Since inspection or accident | Last Inspection |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | 09 |
| Runway Length | 2300 |
| Runway Width | 100 |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |