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19990717047549A

Accident · Substantial damage
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FAA accident report · Amtr BARRACUDA · Hermon, NY · July 17, 1999

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

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Date
July 17, 1999 · 14:10 local
Place
Hermon, NY
Phase of flight
Fcd/Prec Ldg From Cruise
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage
Substantial damage
Aircraft
N849JA
NTSB investigation
NTSBNYC99LA179
Reported as
Amtr Barracuda
Reported engine
Lycoming IO540*
People aboard
1
Fatal injuries
0
Pilot’s flight hours
322 total18 in this make and model26 in the last 90 days
N849JARegistration cancelled May 31, 2016 · Allen-Charles BARRACUDAS/N 101Airframe modelAllen-Charles BARRACUDAEngine modelLycoming 0-540 seriesReciprocating

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

(.4) During a cross country flight in a homebuilt airplane, when the airplane was about 60 to 90 nautical miles from it's destination, the pilot noticed the airplane's left and right fuel gages were both indicating 1/8 full. The pilot decided to land early at another airport. However, due to haze and the anxiety of the situation, the pilot was unable to find a suitable airport so he elected to make a precautionary landing on a grass field. During the landing, the airplane's landing gear separated and the airplane incurred spar damage. Examination of the wreckage did not reveal any pre-landing malfunctions of the airframe or engine. The left fuel gage needle indicated 'e,' and the right fuel gage needle indicated about 1/8 full. When the airplane was placed on level ground, visual examination of the fuel tanks revealed that about 1/4 inch of fuel remained in the left fuel tank, and approximately 4 inches of fuel remained in the right fuel tank. The pilot reported 321.8 hours of total flight experience, of which, 18.3 hours were in the make and model of the accident airplane. (-23) aircraft ran low on fuel enroute. Pilot could not find a suitable air port in the hazy flight conditions and made an emergency off airport landing due to low fuel in the interest of safety.

As the FAA filed it

(.4) DURING A CROSS COUNTRY FLIGHT IN A HOMEBUILT AIRPLANE, WHEN THE AIRPLANE WAS ABOUT 60 TO 90 NAUTICAL MILES FROM IT'S DESTINATION, THE PILOT NOTICED THE AIRPLANE'S LEFT AND RIGHT FUEL GAGES WERE BOTH INDICATING 1/8 FULL. THE PILOT DECIDED TO LAND EARLY AT ANOTHER AIRPORT. HOWEVER, DUE TO HAZE AND THE ANXIETY OF THE SITUATION, THE PILOT WAS UNABLE TO FIND A SUITABLE AIRPORT SO HE ELECTED TO MAKE A PRECAUTIONARY LANDING ON A GRASS FIELD. DURING THE LANDING, THE AIRPLANE'S LANDING GEAR SEPARATED AND THE AIRPLANE INCURRED SPAR DAMAGE. EXAMINATION OF THE WRECKAGE DID NOT REVEAL ANY PRE-LANDING MALFUNCTIONS OF THE AIRFRAME OR ENGINE. THE LEFT FUEL GAGE NEEDLE INDICATED 'E,' AND THE RIGHT FUEL GAGE NEEDLE INDICATED ABOUT 1/8 FULL. WHEN THE AIRPLANE WAS PLACED ON LEVEL GROUND, VISUAL EXAMINATION OF THE FUEL TANKS REVEALED THAT ABOUT 1/4 INCH OF FUEL REMAINED IN THE LEFT FUEL TANK, AND APPROXIMATELY 4 INCHES OF FUEL REMAINED IN THE RIGHT FUEL TANK. THE PILOT REPORTED 321.8 HOURS OF TOTAL FLIGHT EXPERIENCE, OF WHICH, 18.3 HOURS WERE IN THE MAKE AND MODEL OF THE ACCIDENT AIRPLANE. (-23) AIRCRAFT RAN LOW ON FUEL ENROUTE. PILOT COULD NOT FIND A SUITABLE AIR PORT IN THE HAZY FLIGHT CONDITIONS AND MADE AN EMERGENCY OFF AIRPORT LANDING DUE TO LOW FUEL IN THE INTEREST OF SAFETY.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB NYC99LA179Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportHermon, NYThe pilot's inadequate preflight planning which resulted in a precautionary landing. A factor in this accident was the pilot's selection of unsuitable terrain for the precautionary landing.Jul 17, 1999 · Substantial damage

Other reports on N849JA · 1

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

Incident 19790627017209ILevel Off Touchdown · La Crosse, WIUnable to extend landing gear due to broken fitting. Gear collapsed.Jun 27, 1979 · Minor damage