20030719015969A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Boeing PT-17 · Hendersonville, NC · July 19, 2003

Date: July 19, 2003 · 13:53 local
Place: Hendersonville, NC
Phase of flight: Fcd/Prec Ldg From Cruise
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N411BT
NTSB investigation: NTSBATL03LA118
Reported as: Boeing PT17
Reported engine: Pratt & Whitney R985*
Fatal injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 2,349 total1,100 in this make and model16 in the last 90 days

N411BTRegistered now · Boeing PT-17S/N 752455 · Built 1941 Airframe modelBoeing PT-17 Engine modelPratt & Whitney R-985 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.

(-23) Pilot had been conducting glider tow operations with his stearman. At about 1,000 AGL the engine quit. According to the pilot the four lane highway was the best place to make an emergency landing. On landing the aircraft struck two vehicles which spun the aircraft and tore the right wing and landing gear off. During investigation, there was no usable fuel in the fuel tank (which maintained its integrity), nor was there fuel in the fuel line to the carburetor. When NTSB informed the pilot that an inspection of the fuel tank revealed no fuel the pilot made the statement that he knew that and that was why he didn't attempt a restart. The pilot also told a police officer that he kind of got "wrapped up in the moment" and must have run out of fuel. In addition, while in the hospital the pilot was overheard saying "I think I just ran out of gas."

As the FAA filed it

(-23) PILOT HAD BEEN CONDUCTING GLIDER TOW OPERATIONS WITH HIS STEARMAN. AT ABOUT 1,000 AGL THE ENGINE QUIT. ACCORDING TO THE PILOT THE FOUR LANE HIGHWAY WAS THE BEST PLACE TO MAKE AN EMERGENCY LANDING. ON LANDING THE AIRCRAFT STRUCK TWO VEHICLES WHICH SPUN THE AIRCRAFT AND TORE THE RIGHT WING AND LANDING GEAR OFF. DURING INVESTIGATION, THERE WAS NO USABLE FUEL IN THE FUEL TANK (WHICH MAINTAINED ITS INTEGRITY), NOR WAS THERE FUEL IN THE FUEL LINE TO THE CARBURETOR. WHEN NTSB INFORMED THE PILOT THAT AN INSPECTION OF THE FUEL TANK REVEALED NO FUEL THE PILOT MADE THE STATEMENT THAT HE KNEW THAT AND THAT WAS WHY HE DIDN'T ATTEMPT A RESTART. THE PILOT ALSO TOLD A POLICE OFFICER THAT HE KIND OF GOT "WRAPPED UP IN THE MOMENT" AND MUST HAVE RUN OUT OF FUEL. IN ADDITION, WHILE IN THE HOSPITAL THE PILOT WAS OVERHEARD SAYING "I THINK I JUST RAN OUT OF GAS."

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 ATL03LA118Accident · Minor injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportHendersonville, NCThe pilot's inadequate preflight planning/preparation of fuel required for the flight, resulting in a total loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion. A factor in the accident was pilot impairment due to alcohol consumption.Jul 19, 2003 · Substantial damage