# NTSB FTW01LA093: Empson F4UCorsair, N914DA, Baton Rouge, LA, April 5, 2001 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: April 5, 2001, 15:16 local (20:16 UTC) - Place: Baton Rouge, LA - Coordinates: 30.450053, -91.18738 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=30.4501&lon=-91.1874&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Approach](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/500) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report October 9, 2001 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: FAA Flight Standards District Office - NTSB case key (mKey): 52029 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=FTW01LA093 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/52029/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW01LA093 ## Probable cause the pilot's inadequate preflight planning resulting in fuel exhaustion during approach. A contributing factor was the lack of suitable terrain for the forced landing. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of engine power(total) - nonmechanical, approach - vfr pattern - base leg/base to final - preflight planning/preparation - inadequate, pilot in command (cause) - fluid,fuel - exhaustion (cause) - Forced landing, emergency descent/landing - On ground/water collision with object, landing - roll - terrain condition - none suitable (contributing factor) - object - fence - object - fence post ## Analysis Based upon the pilot's preflight planning, the homebuilt experimental airplane should have reached the destination airport with 1/2 hour of fuel reserve. The pilot was instructed to fly the airplane on a 3-mile base for runway 22R, and subsequently cleared to land the airplane on runway 22R. Before the base to final turn, the pilot reported to the tower controller that the engine "stopped." Subsequently, the pilot performed the emergency procedures and informed the tower controller that the flight would not make the runway. During the forced landing in a field, the airplane came to rest against a fence and fence post. The FAA inspector, who responded to the site, reported "fuel exhaustion." The pilot stated "this accident could have been prevented if I had used the wind information available at the time of departure and allowed for poor navigation, [and] more fuel burned than anticipated." ## Factual narrative On April 5, 2001, at 1516 central daylight time, an Empson F4UCorsair, homebuilt experimental airplane, N914DA, sustained substantial damage when it struck a fence during a forced landing following a loss of engine power near Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The airplane was built, owned and operated by the pilot under 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. The commercial pilot, sole occupant, was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the cross-county flight, and a flight plan was not filed. The flight departed Conroe, Texas, at 1310. On the Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report (NTSB Form 6120.1/2), the pilot reported that the planned destination was Lakeland, Florida, with the first refueling stop at Baton Rouge. Based upon his preflight planning, the airplane should have 1/2 hour of fuel remaining upon landing at Baton Rouge. He obtained a weather briefing from "flight service 10 minutes before departure, noting only the ceiling and visibility." The aircraft was fueled prior to the departure from Conroe, and the pilot used GPS navigation direct to Baton Rouge. The pilot was instructed to fly the airplane on a 3-mile base for runway 22R at the Baton Rouge Metropolitan Airport, and subsequently the pilot was cleared to land the airplane on runway 22R. Before turning the airplane for the final approach, the engine "stopped." The pilot performed the emergency procedures and informed the tower controller that the flight would not make the runway. During the off airport landing in a field, the airplane slid and came to rest against a fence and fence post. The pilot reported that both spars of the left wing separated on impact. The FAA inspector, who responded to the site, reported "fuel exhaustion." The pilot stated "this accident could have been prevented if I had used the wind information available at the time of departure and allowed for poor navigation, [and] more fuel burned than anticipated." ## Aircraft - Registration: [N914DA](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N914DA-2018-01-29), registration cancelled 2018-01-29, S/N 208, built 2001 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: EMPSON F4UCorsair - Registry model: [Empson Lee E WAR F4UCORSAIR](https://openairdocs.org/model/empson-lee-e-war-f4ucorsair) (registry code 05606XQ) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Continental 0-200 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-0-200-series) (registry code 17020, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane, amateur-built - Serial number: 208 - Airframe hours: 43 - Engines: Continental O-250-A 100 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: Lee E. Empson - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special) - Last inspection: Condition, March 2, 2001, 43 hours before - Departed: CXO, Conroe, TX - Destination: BTR, Baton Rouge, LA - Airport: BTR, Baton Rouge Metropolitan, runway 22R, 6,900 × 150 ft, concrete ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 49; injuries: none; private, commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: valid medical--no waivers/lim.; last flight review September 26, 2000; flight hours: 1,219 total, 43 in this make and model, 474 as pilot in command, 46 in the last 90 days, 46 in the last 30 days, 2 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 170° at 12 knots - Visibility: 7 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 84 °F, dew point 64 °F - Altimeter: 30.12 inHg - Observed at: BTR, 3 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 20010405008149A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20010405008149A), Apr 5, 2001: Baton Rouge, LA, No damage. (-23)Pilot cleared for right base to runway 22R at btr. Engine failed. Investigation yielded fuel exhaustion. 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.