# Accident 20091208051999A: Rockwell In 114, Birmingham, AL, December 8, 2009

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: December 8, 2009, 20:05 local time
- Place: Birmingham, AL
- Airport: Birmingham International Airpo
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Landing: Approach
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 33.5639° N, 86.7522° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=33.5639&lon=-86.7522&mi=10
- Aircraft: N5872N, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N5872N) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Rockwell International 114 (registry code 7630314, https://openairdocs.org/model/rockwell-international-114) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming IO-540 series (registry code 41530, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-io-540-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: ROCKWELL IN 114
- Reported engine: LYCOMING IO-540 T4B5D
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Private pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 491 total, 415 in this make and model, 122 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB ERA10CA093](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA10CA093) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20091208051999A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

AT 2018 CST ON DECEMBER 08, 2009, A SMALL PLANE CRASHED AT THE BIRMINGHAM INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT (BHM). THE AIRCRAFT WAS IDENTIFIED AS AN AC-11, REGISTRATION NUMBER N5872N. THERE WAS ONE OCCUPANT AND HE WAS UNINJURED.  THE AIRPLANE DEPARTED MONROE-WALTON COUNTY AIRPORT (D73) IN GEORGIA BOUND FOR SHELBY COUNTY AIRPORT (EEK) BUT WAS UNABLE TO LAND DUE TO WEATHER. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE DECIDED TO DIVERT TO BESSEMER (EKY) AFTER LEARNING THAT SHELBY COUNTY WAS BELOW MINIMUMS. HE ATTEMPTED AN ILS AT BESSEMER BUT WAS UNABLE TO LAND. HE THEN REQUESTED VECTORS TO BIRMINGHAM AND HAD ALSO ATTEMPTED AN ILS TO RUNWAY 24. UNABLE TO LAND ON 24 DUE TO THE WINDS, HE DECIDED TO TRACK THE LOCALIZER TO RUNWAY 18 AND LAND ON 24 BUT THE AIRCRAFT RAN OUT OF FUEL ON FINAL AND HAD A FORCED LANDING ON THE TOP OF A HILL APPROXIMATELY ¼ OF A MILE SHORT OF RUNWAY 18.ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, THE ENGINE QUIT JUST AS HE CLEARED THE CLOUDS AND SIGHTED THE AIRPORT BUT THE WIND, WHICH WAS REPORTED AS 170 AT 23 GUSTING TO 34, PREVENTED HIM FROM MAKING THE RUNWAY. THE AIRCRAFT LANDED IN A CLEARING AND HIT A DITCH WHICH SHEERED OFF THE LEFT MAIN AND COLLAPSED THE NOSE GEAR. IT CAME TO REST WITH THE LEFT WING, PROP AND ENGINE COWLING ON THE GROUND. THERE WAS SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE OUTBOARD SECTION OF THE LEFT WING SPAR AND THE ENTIRE WING HAD BEEN PULLED AWAY FROM THE FUSELAGE. THE PROP WAS DESTROYED AND THE DAMAGE INDICATED THE ENGINE WAS NOT RUNNING AT THE TIME OF IMPACT. TRACKS ON THE GROUND INDICATED THE AIRCRAFT ROLLED LESS THAN 50 YARDS AFTER INITIAL IMPACT.THE PILOT STATED "ONCE THE ENGINE QUIT, I THOUGHT I WAS BACKING UP." THE REPORTED WEATHER AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT WAS:0253Z  17023G34 65M  -TSRA BKN013 OVC018CB TEMP19 DEW17 A2962 RMKA02

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB ERA10CA093](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA10CA093), Dec 9, 2009: Rockwell International 114 (N5872N), Birmingham, AL, substantial damage. Probable cause: A total loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion as a result of the pilot’s inadequate preflight fuel planning.

## Other reports on N5872N (1)

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

- [Incident 19840712051059I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19840712051059I), Jul 12, 1984: Gulstm 114ARKWELL (N5872N), Fargo, ND, Minor damage. Did not see dim geardown light. Put gear selector up. Nose gear collapsed. Strut inflated too high for squat switch

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft 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. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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