- Date
- September 30, 2000, 16:15 local (21:15 UTC)
- Place
- Corsicana, TX
- Injuries
- 1 serious
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N25563Porterfield LP65
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report March 2, 2001
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 20000930014549A
- Case key
- 51145
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 failure of the pilot to refuel the airplane, which resulted in fuel exhaustion. A factor was the pilot's inadequate preflight planning and the lack of suitable terrain for the forced landing.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
The pilot planned a cross-country flight originating from Fort Worth, Texas, and terminating at Corsicana, Texas, with an intermediate fuel stop at Lake Palestine, Texas. Upon arrival at the airport in Lake Palestine the pilot found that there were no fuel services available. The pilot calculated that it would take 58 minutes to continue the flight to the final destination; and with the cockpit fuel gauge indicating between 5 and 6 gallons of fuel remaining, he departed for Corsicana. The pilot reported that he was four miles from the Corsicana Airport when he realized the fuel gauge was 'very close to empty,' and subsequently, the 'engine just quit.' A forced landing was executed to a field where the airplane's left wing struck tree stumps. Four witnesses who were monitoring the common traffic advisory frequency at the Corsicana Airport reported that the pilot stated that he was 'running out of fuel' and attempting to land.
Factual narrative
On September 30, 2000, at 1615 central daylight time, a Porterfield LP65, single-engine airplane, N25563, was substantially damaged during a forced landing following a loss of engine power near Corsicana, Texas. The pilot, who was the registered owner and sole occupant of the airplane, sustained serious injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight, for which no flight plan was filed. The flight originated from the Saginaw Airport, Fort Worth, Texas, at 1240, and was destined for the Corsicana Municipal Airport, Corsicana, Texas, with an intermediate fuel stop at Aero-Estates Airport, Lake Palestine, Texas.
According to the pilot, he departed Saginaw Airport with the fuel tanks full (13.5 gallons). The direct flight from Saginaw Airport to Aero-Estates Airport was 1 hour and 40 minutes. Upon arrival the pilot found no fuel services available. Approximately 1530, with the cockpit fuel quantity indicator indicating 5-6 gallons of fuel remaining, the pilot departed the Aero-Estates Airport. The pilot calculated, utilizing a hand held GPS, the time en route to Corsicana Municipal Airport to be approximately 58 minutes. Approximately 4 miles from the Corsicana Municipal Airport, the fuel quantity indicator was "very close to empty." Four witnesses, who were monitoring the common traffic advisory frequency at the Corsicana Municipal Airport, reported that the pilot stated that he was "running out of fuel" and he was going to try and land. The pilot reported that the airplane was approximately three miles from Corsicana when the "engine just quit." Subsequently, the airplane landed in a field, the left wing struck tree stumps, and the airplane came to rest upright.
An FAA inspector, who examined the airplane, stated that both wings were structurally damaged.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N25563
- Reported as
- Porterfield LP65
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 671
- Airframe hours
- 2,270
- Engine
- Continental C-85-8, 85 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- James A. Sprouse
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · May 1, 2000 · 31 hours before
- Departed
- F04 · Fort Worth, TX
- Destination
- CRS · Corsicana, TX
- Flight plan
- VFR
- Airport
- CRS · Corsicana Municipal
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, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 560 total · 154 in this make and model · 530 as pilot in command · 21 in the last 90 days · 12 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 160° at 10 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 30 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.