# NTSB ATL05CA158: Christen Industries S-2B, N60770, Deeherd, TN, September 6, 2005 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Minor injuries · Data collection · Final report - Date: September 5, 2005, 19:04 local (Sep 6, 2005, 00:04 UTC) - Place: Deeherd, TN - Coordinates: 35.380001, -86.246109 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=35.3800&lon=-86.2461&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: Minor injuries - Injuries: 1 minor - Status: Completed, report December 20, 2005 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: Nashville FSDO-03 - NTSB case key (mKey): 62387 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ATL05CA158 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/62387/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ATL05CA158 ## Probable cause The pilots inadequate preflight of the fuel tank resulting in a total loss of engine power in cruise flight, forced landing, and nose over on landing roll out. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of engine power, cruise - aircraft preflight - inadequate, pilot in command (cause) - fluid,fuel - exhaustion - preflight planning/preparation - inadequate, pilot in command (cause) - Forced landing, descent - emergency - On ground/water encounter with terrain/water, emergency landing - terrain condition - rough/uneven (contributing factor) - terrain condition - ground - Nose over, landing - roll ## Analysis The pilot stated he flew the airplane for three flights on September 4, 2005, and refueled the airplane before and after the first flight. He did not refuel the airplane after the third flight. On the day of the accident he completed a preflight inspection of the airplane and no anomalies were noted. He did not check or stick the fuel tank to measure the fuel quantity. He departed on a local flight, picked up a friend, and flew around the local area before landing back at Tullahoma. He did not add any fuel before departing Tullahoma back to Sewanee. The pilot stated,"I then departed Tullahoma for Sewanee and ran out of fuel in flight over Woods Reservoir at an altitude of 3000 feet AGL." He made a forced landing to an open field, and the airplane nosed over on touchdown. ## Factual narrative On September 5, 2005 at 1904 central daylight time, an experimental Christen Industries S-2B, N60770, registered to and operated by a private owner, lost engine power and nosed over during a forced landing at an open field in Deeherd, Tennessee. The flight operated under provisions of Title 14 CFR Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident and no flight plan was filed. The pilot received minor injuries. The airplane was substantially damaged. The flight originated from Tullahoma Regional Airport, Tullahoma, Tennessee on September 5, 2005 at 1850. The pilot stated he flew the airplane for three flights on September 4, 2005, and refueled the airplane before and after the first flight. He did not refuel the airplane after the third flight with his wife. On the day of the accident he completed a preflight inspection of the airplane and no anomalies were noted. He did not check or stick the fuel tank to measure the fuel quantity. He departed on a local flight from Sewanee, Tennessee, to Tullahoma, Tennessee. He landed at Tullahoma, Tennessee, picked up a friend, and flew around the local area before landing back at Tullahoma. He did not add any fuel before departing Tullahoma back to Sewanee. The pilot stated, "I then departed Tullahoma for Sewanee and ran out of fuel in flight over Woods Reservoir at an altitude of 3000 feet AGL." The pilot made a forced landing to an open field, and the airplane nosed over on touch down. ## Aircraft - Registration: N60770 (not matched to a registry record) - Reported make and model: Christen Industries S-2B - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 5115 - Airframe hours: 1349 - Engines: Lycoming AEIO-540 260 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Operator: Thomas E. Hartigvsen, doing business as 220 Choctaw Road - Registered owner: Thomas E. Hartvigsen - Last inspection: Annual, December 1, 2004, 57 hours before - Departed: THA, Tullahoma, TN - Destination: UOS, Sewanee, TN ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 52; injuries: minor; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3, with waivers/limitations; last flight review October 1, 2003; seat: rear; flight hours: 347 total, 183 in this make and model, 81 as pilot in command, 24 in the last 90 days, 10 in the last 30 days, 2 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 40° at 6 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 84 °F, dew point 57 °F - Altimeter: 30.20 inHg - Observed at: BNA, 49 nm away ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20050905022619A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20050905022619A), Sep 5, 2005: Aviat PITTSS2B, Decherd, TN, Substantial damage. (-23) The pilot stated that he forgot to refuel the aircraft prior to flight. Shortly after takeoff the engine quit due to fuel exhaustion. The pilot landed… 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. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.