MIA95LA028

NTSB accident investigation · Bellanca 14-13 · Tunica, MS · November 24, 1994

Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal report
Date
November 23, 1994, 18:30 local (Nov 24, 1994, 00:30 UTC)
Place
Tunica, MS
Injuries
1 uninjured
Damage
Substantial damage
Phase of flight
Maneuvering
Aircraft
N74232Bellanca 14-13
Weather
Visual (VMC) · Night/dark
Status
Completed · report March 13, 1995
Report
Approved by Office Director
FAA report
19941123039119A
Case key
37699

From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.

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Probable cause

The pilot's delay in obtaining ATC assistance after becoming lost/disoriented resulting in the total loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion. Contributing to the accident was failure of the pilot to navigate using the VOR system.

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.

Loss of engine power(total) - nonmechanicalManeuvering
Became lost/disorientedPilot in command
Fluid,fuel - exhaustion
Proper assistance - delayedPilot in commandCause
Fuel consumption calculations - not performedPilot in command
Navigation receiver - not usedPilot in commandFactor
Forced landingDescent - emergency
On ground/water collision with objectLanding - roll
Object - tree(s)

Analysis

The pilot stated that he did not perform fuel consumption calculations for the flight because he had flown it several times. While navigating using a GPS unit, the batteries in the unit failed about 10 minutes before arrival. The pilot attempted to locate the airport visually but stated that he delayed obtaining ATC assistance and did not attempt to use the on-board VOR to establish his position. The engine failed due to fuel exhaustion and during the landing roll following the forced landing in a parking lot, the airplane collided with trees.

Factual narrative

On November 23, 1994, about 1830 central standard time, a Bellanca 14-13, N74232, registered to Peter P. Kosloski, crashed in a parking lot of a casino near Tunica, Mississippi, while on a 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and no flight plan was filed. The airplane was substantially damaged and the pilot, the sole occupant, was not injured. The flight originated from the Moore-Murrell Airport, Morristown, Tennessee, about 1430.

The pilot stated that he had flown this trip several times and he did not on this flight perform fuel consumption calculations. He also stated that he was navigating using a global positioning system (GPS) unit and about 10 minutes before arrival at his planned destination airport, the batteries in the GPS unit failed. He continued the flight looking for the airport and stated that he delayed obtaining assistance from air traffic control and did not attempt to use the VOR navigation system in his airplane to determine his position. He located a place to perform a forced landing due to fuel exhaustion and after touchdown during the landing roll, the airplane collided with trees then came to rest. The last Biennial Flight Review was accomplished on February 22, 1992.

Aircraft

Registration
N74232
Reported as
Bellanca 14-13
Category
Airplane
Serial number
1345
Airframe hours
3,252
Engine
Franklin 6A4150B3, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
Damage
Substantial damage
Flight
Personal · Part 91
Registered owner
Kosloski, Peter P.
Airworthiness certificate
Standard, Normal
Last inspection
Annual · November 1, 1993 · 24 hours before
Departed
MOR · Morristown, TN
Destination
OLV · Olive Branch, MS

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
43
Certificate
Private
Airplane ratings
Single-engine land
Medical
Class 3, Expired
Seat
Left
Flight hours
1,900 total · 80 in this make and model · 1,700 as pilot in command · 15 in the last 90 days · 4 in the last 30 days

Weather

Conditions
Visual (VMC) · Night/dark
Wind
Calm
Visibility
20 statute miles
Lowest ceiling
25,000 ft overcast
Temperature
43 °F, dew point 25 °F
Altimeter
30.00 inHg
Observed at
MEM, 29 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 N74232 · 1

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.