- Date
- July 25, 1996, 15:40 local (20:40 UTC)
- Place
- Tahlequah, OK
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N4886XRockwell International S2R
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report November 25, 1996
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19960725026059A
- Case key
- 19927
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 failure to refuel the airplane resulting in fuel exhaustion. A factor was 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
While cruising at 6,500 feet MSL, a total loss of engine power occurred. During the force landing to a rough field the airplane landed hard. Flight time was 1 hour and 50 minutes and the flight had departed with 97 gallons of usable fuel. The owner had previously run the engine about 3 hours since a major overhaul. The fuel consumption rate since the overhaul had not been determined; however, the owner reported a previous fuel consumption rate of 45 gph and that the 'airplane ran out of fuel.'
Factual narrative
On July 25, 1996, at 1540 central daylight time, a Rockwell International Thrush S2R, N4886X, registered to Riddell Flying Service Inc., of West Helena, Arkansas, and operated by Air Ag Inc., of Greeley, Nebraska, under Title 14 CFR Part 91, impacted terrain during a forced landing following a loss of engine power near Tahlequah, Oklahoma. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the cross country flight and a flight plan was not filed. The commercial pilot was not injured and the airplane sustained substantial damage. The flight originated from West Helena 1 hour and 50 minutes before the accident.
During a telephone interview, conducted by the investigator-in-charge, the pilot reported that the flight departed with 104 gallons of fuel (94 usable) en route to Plains, Kansas, with the first refueling stop planned for Tahlequah. Approximately 10 miles from Tahlequah while in cruise flight at 6,500 feet MSL, a total loss of engine power occurred. During the forced landing approach to a rough field approximately 7 miles from Tahlequah, the airplane landed hard, collapsing the gear, damaging the lower fuselage, propeller, left wing and spraying system.
The owner reported, during a telephone interview conducted by the investigator-in-charge, that the operator had leased the airplane and was ferrying the airplane to Kansas. The owner further stated that the engine had accumulated about 3 hours since a major overhaul. Fuel consumption rate had not been determined for this engine since the overhaul; however, the previous fuel consumption rate was 45 gph and the airplane "ran out of fuel."
The Pilot/Operator report states that the engine quit "due to fuel starvation."
Aircraft
- Registration
- N4886X
- Reported as
- Rockwell International S2R
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 2087R
- Airframe hours
- 7,450
- Engine
- P&W R-1340-AN1, 600 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Part 91
- Operator
- Ward A. Mills, doing business as Ag Air, Inc.
- Registered owner
- Riddell Flying Service Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Restricted (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · October 20, 1995 · 6 hours before
- Departed
- HEE · West Helena, AR
- Destination
- H73 · OK
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
- 52
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Center
- Flight hours
- 15,800 total · 3,000 in this make and model · 15,800 as pilot in command · 125 in the last 90 days · 100 in the last 30 days · 3 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 90 °F, dew point 57 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- TUL, 285 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.
Other investigations on N4886X · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.