- Date
- July 11, 2008, 15:50 local (20:50 UTC)
- Place
- Denton, TX
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N9678UGrumman American AA-5A
- Defining event
- Approach: Fuel starvation
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report August 28, 2008
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- FAA FSDO
- FAA report
- 20080711840589A
- Case key
- 68435
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 inadequate fuel management, which resulted in fuel starvation and the subsequent loss of engine power.
Findings · 1
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 reported that prior to departing on a cross-country flight, that both of the aircraft's fuel tanks were filled with fuel. Additionally, the pilot stated that during flight she failed to switch fuel tanks. While talking to the airport's control tower and during the approach to the runway, the airplane's engine lost power. The pilot elected to conduct a forced landing in a nearby field. The airplane's landing gear collapsed and the airplane was substantially damaged during the forced landing. A Federal Aviation Administration inspector who examined the airplane, reported that the right wing fuel tank appeared empty and that the fuel selector was on the right wing fuel tank position.
Factual narrative
The pilot reported that prior to departing on a cross-country flight, that both of the aircraft's fuel tanks were filled with fuel. Additionally, the pilot stated that during flight she failed to switch fuel tanks. While talking to the airport's control tower and during the approach to the runway, the aircraft's engine lost power. The pilot elected to conduct a forced landing in a nearby field. The aircraft's landing gear collapsed and the aircraft was substantially damaged during the forced landing. A Federal Aviation Administration inspector who examined the airplane, reported that the right wing fuel tank appeared empty and that the fuel selector was on the right wing fuel tank position.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N9678U
- Reported as
- Grumman American AA-5A
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- AA5A0044
- Airframe hours
- 3,732.7
- Engine
- Lycoming O-360, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · June 1, 2008
- Departed
- EOS · Neosho, MO
- Destination
- Denton, TX
- Airport
- DTO · Denton Muni
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
- 55
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- December 1, 2007
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 1,059 total · 75 in this make and model · 995 as pilot in command · 11 in the last 90 days · 8 in the last 30 days · 6 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 180° at 11 knots, gusting 17
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 97 °F, dew point 63 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.94 inHg
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.
Other investigations on N9678U · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.