- Date
- August 5, 2011, 11:00 local (16:00 UTC)
- Place
- Sherman, TX
- Injuries
- 2 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N150CWPiper PA-18A
- Defining event
- Takeoff: Loss of engine power (total)
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report October 17, 2011
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Central Region
- Parties
- FAA/FSDO
- FAA report
- 20110805019929A
- Case key
- 81397
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The pilot's improper fuel management, which resulted in a loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion.
Findings · 3
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The pilot did not visually check the fuel level prior to departure, but his fuel gauges indicated the left tank was 3/4-full and the right fuel tank was 1/4-full. He departed with the fuel selector on the left tank and flew for an hour before he picked up a friend and continued with the flight. The pilot and his passenger flew to another airport and landed. They then taxied back to the runway and departed. During takeoff, the pilot made a left hand turn and the engine began to sputter and then stopped producing power. The pilot was unable to return to the airport, and made a forced landing to a field. Examination of the airplane revealed the left fuel tank was empty and the right tank had only residual fuel inside.
Factual narrative
The private pilot did not visually check the fuel level prior to departure, but his fuel guages indicated the left tank was 3/4-full and the right fuel tank was 1/4-full. He departed with the fuel selector on the left tank and flew for an hour before he picked up a friend and continued with the flight. The pilot and his passenger flew to another airport and landed. They then taxied back to the runway and departed. On takeoff, the pilot made a left hand turn and the engine began to sputter and then stopped producing power. The pilot was unable to return to the airport, so he made a forced landing to a field. Examination of the airplane by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector revealed the left fuel tank was empty and the right tank had some residual fuel inside.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N150CW
- Reported as
- Piper PA-18A
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 18-4329
- Engine
- Lycoming 0-320 SERIES, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Darrell Williams
- Registered owner
- Darrell Williams
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- KSWI · Sherman, TX
- Destination
- KSWI · Sherman, TX
- Flight plan
- Unknown
- Airport
- KSWI · Sherman, runway 16
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 59
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3
- Flight hours
- 464 total · 27 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
Docket · 4
The files NTSB released with the investigation on September 15, 2011, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 841 KB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.