Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Gordon Muni Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Gordon, Nebraska 69343
Wednesday, February 12, 2014 11:22 MST
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
In a statement provided by the pilot, the fuel calculations for the accident flight were based on the fuel burn from the flight the day before. On the day of the accident flight, the pilot used a clock timer from the time of engine start to estimate the longevity of the fuel supply. He and his passenger departed on a low altitude wildlife control flight. When the timer read 4 hours and 22 minutes, the engine experienced a partial loss of power two consecutive times. The pilot restored the power both times by applying carburetor heat. When the engine experienced a loss of power the third time, he attempted to restore the power by leaning the mixture control and adjusting the fuel selector. Finally, the engine experienced a total loss of power and the pilot landed on the highway to the north with a gusty quartering tailwind from the southwest. During the landing roll, a gust of wind pushed the airplane to the right. The airplane exited the road, struck a fence, and a wooden pole which resulted in substantial damage to the right wing and fuselage. The responding Federal Aviation Administration inspector determined that the airplane's usable fuel supply had been exhausted. In a statement provided by the operator's representative, the pilot stated that his fuel calculations were not correct and the fuel supply had been exhausted.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
A loss of engine power due to the pilot's improper planning and miscalculation of the fuel supply, which resulted in fuel exhaustion.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 2/12/2014 |
| Event Day of the Week | Wednesday |
| Time of Event | 1122 |
| Event Time Zone | Mountain Standard Time |
| Event City | Gordon |
| Event State | NEBRASKA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 69343 |
| Event Date Year | 2014 |
| Event Date Month | 2 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 424418N |
| Event Location Longitude | 1021033W |
| Event Location Airport | GORDON MUNI |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | GRN |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | Off Airport/Airstrip |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | 4 |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | 180 |
| Airport Elevation | 3562 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1052 Mountain Standard Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 319 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | KIEN |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 3331 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 23 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | MST |
| 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) | 1 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | -8 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 190 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 8 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 29.89 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | METAR KIEN 121752Z AUTO 19008KT 10SM CLR 01/M08 A2 |
| Event Highest Injury | None |
| On Ground, Fatal Injuries | 0 |
| On Ground, Minor Injuries | 0 |
| On Ground, Serious Injuries | 0 |
| Injury Total Fatal | -- |
| Injury Total Minor | -- |
| Injury Total None | 2 |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | -- |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 32495 |
| NTSB Notification Source | ACE 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 17 2014 12:48PM |
| User who most recently changed record | linj-i |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N83325 |
| NTSB Number | CEN14CA137 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Public Use |
| 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 18-150 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | A150 |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 18-7609078 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 2000 |
| 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 | 100 Hour |
| Date of Last Inspection | May 1 2013 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | -- |
| Airframe Hours | 14717 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | Unknown |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | USDA APHIS WILDLIFE SERVICES |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | AVIATION TRAINING & OPERATION CTR1223 N AIRPORT RD |
| Aircraft Owner City | CEDAR CITY |
| Aircraft Owner State | UT |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 84721 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | USDA APHIS WILDLIFE SERVICES |
| Operator Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Street Address | AVIATION TRAINING & OPERATION CTR1223 N AIRPORT RD |
| Operator City | CEDAR CITY |
| Operator State | UT |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 84721 |
| 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) | -- |
| Second Pilot on Board | No |
| Departure Point Same as Event | No |
| Departure Airport Code | GRN |
| Departure City | GORDON |
| Departure State | NE |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 710 |
| Departure Time Zone | MST |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere |
| Destination Airport Code | GRN |
| Destination City | GORDON |
| Destination State | NE |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | -- |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Mar 18 2014 5:16PM |
| User who most recently changed record | linj-i |
| Since inspection or accident | -- |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | N/A |
| Runway Length | -- |
| Runway Width | -- |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |