# NTSB FTW02LA083: North American T28C, N71546, Fredericksburg, TX, February 21, 2002 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: February 21, 2002, 13:00 local (19:00 UTC) - Place: Fredericksburg, TX - Coordinates: 30.24361, -98.909446 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=30.2436&lon=-98.9094&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report April 8, 2003 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: Federal Aviation Administration - NTSB case key (mKey): 54237 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=FTW02LA083 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/54237/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=54237 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW02LA083 ## Probable cause the failure of the pilot to refuel the airplane resulting in fuel exhaustion. 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, descent - normal - refueling - not performed, pilot in command (cause) - fluid,fuel - exhaustion (cause) - Forced landing, descent - emergency - On ground/water encounter with terrain/water, landing - roll - terrain condition - none suitable (contributing factor) - terrain condition - rough/uneven ## Analysis The pilot reported that prior to a day cross-country flight, the airplane was topped with 155 gallons of fuel, and subsequently, flown for 1 hour 25 minutes to the next destination. The airplane was not fueled at that destination, and the flight departed for the subsequent destination. During the descent, the engine lost total power approximately 4 nautical miles east of the destination airport. The pilot landed the airplane in a rough field. The FAA inspector, who responded to the site, drained approximately 12 ounces of fuel from the airplane. The integrity of the fuel system was not compromised. ## Factual narrative On February 21, 2002, at 1300 central standard time, a North American T28C, N71546, sustained substantial damage during a forced landing following a loss of engine power near Fredericksburg, Texas. The commercial pilot, sole occupant, was not injured. The airplane was owned by a private individual and operated under 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the cross-country flight, and a flight plan was not filed. The personal flight originated from Caldwell, Texas, at 1220. On the Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report (NTSB Form 6120.1/2), the pilot reported that the airplane was topped with 155 gallons of fuel at Levelland, Texas. Subsequently, the airplane was flown cross-country for 1 hour 25 minutes to the destination of Caldwell, Texas. The airplane was not fueled at Caldwell, and the flight departed for Fredericksburg. During the descent to the Fredericksburg Gillespie County Airport, the engine lost total power. The pilot landed the airplane, gear retracted, in a rough field approximately 4 nautical miles east of the destination airport. Substantial damage occurred to the firewall, cowling, and fuselage. The engine and propeller were damaged. The FAA inspector, who responded to the site, found the airplane resting upright with structural damage to the firewall and the lower fuselage. The FAA inspector drained approximately 12 ounces of fuel from the airplane. The integrity of the fuel system was not compromised. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N71546](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N71546-2013-09-26), registration cancelled 2013-09-26, S/N 140528, built 1957 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: North American T28C - Registry model: [North American T-28C](https://openairdocs.org/model/north-american-t-28c) (registry code 6402507) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming R-1820 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-r-1820-series) (registry code 41570, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 140528 - Airframe hours: 8799.4 - Engines: Lycoming (Curtis-Wright) R1820-103A86A 1475 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Operator: Gordon B. Richardson II - Registered owner: Gordon B. Richardson - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special) - Last inspection: Annual, February 20, 2002, 2 hours before - Departed: 14R, Caldwell, TX - Destination: T82, Fredericksburg, TX - Airport: T28, Fredericksburg ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 32; injuries: none; commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; seat: front; flight hours: 1,315 total, 264 in this make and model, 1,227 as pilot in command, 21 in the last 90 days, 3 in the last 30 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 360° at 12 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 61 °F ## 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 20020221001499A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20020221001499A), Feb 21, 2002: Namer T28C, Fredericksburg, TX, Substantial damage. (.19) On February 21, 2002, at 1524 central standard time, a north American T28C, N71546, sustained substantial damage during a forced landing following a loss… ## Docket (6 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on December 19, 2002, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=54237. 1.5 MB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 617 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40389145&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Redacted.PDF - Statement (FAA) (item 2, .PDF, 162 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40389146&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Statement%20(FAA)-Redacted.PDF - Photo 01: View of aircraft. (Courtesy of FAA) (item 3, .PDF, 186 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40172332&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%2001%3A%20View%20of%20aircraft.%20(Courtesy%20of%20FAA)-Master.PDF - Photo 02: View of firewall and forward fuselage. (Courtesy of FAA) (item 4, .PDF, 170 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40172334&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%2002%3A%20View%20of%20firewall%20and%20forward%20fuselage.%20(Courtesy%20of%20FAA)-Master.PDF - Photo 03: View of engine mount separation point. (Courtesy of FAA) (item 5, .PDF, 166 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40172335&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%2003%3A%20View%20of%20engine%20mount%20separation%20point.%20(Courtesy%20of%20FAA)-Master.PDF - Photo 04: View of lower fuselage. (Courtesy of FAA) (item 6, .PDF, 148 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40172336&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%2004%3A%20View%20of%20lower%20fuselage.%20(Courtesy%20of%20FAA)-Master.PDF 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.