- Date
- March 6, 1995, 13:00 local (19:00 UTC)
- Place
- Crystal Springs, MS
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N6619QGrumman G-164B
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report June 19, 1995
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19950306007109A
- Case key
- 37738
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 in command to insure the aircraft contained adequate fuel to complete the flight.
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 stated that he fueled the aircraft and flew 1.5 hours. He then added 3 gallons of fuel and intended to fly to Crystal Springs, a distance of approximately 25 nautical miles, to refuel. While approaching Crystal Springs the engine began to surge and lose power. While making a forced landing in a field the aircraft nosed over. Examination of the aircraft by FAA inspectors showed there was no usable fuel in the aircraft fuel system and there was no evidence of pre or postcrash fuel leakage from the aircraft. The carburetor contained only 1.5 ounces of fuel and 3 cc of water.
Factual narrative
On March 6, 1995, about 1300 central standard time, a Grumman G-164B, N6619Q, registered to Henry Shane Austin, nosed over while making a forced landing following loss of engine power. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and no flight plan was filed. The aircraft received substantial damage and the commercial-rated pilot was not injured. The flight originated from Brookhaven, Mississippi, on March 6, 1995, about 1245.
The pilot stated that he fueled the airplane in Jackson, Alabama and flew 1.5 hours to Brookhaven, Mississippi. In Brookhaven he purchased 3 gallons of fuel and intended to fly to Crystal Springs, Mississippi to refuel. As he approached Crystal Springs, the engine began to run rough. He did not want to fly over the town so he flew toward an open area where he hoped the roughness would clear up. The roughness got worse and the engine began to surge and lose power. While making a forced landing in a field with partial power the aircraft nosed over on to its back.
Postcrash investigation by FAA inspectors showed there was no fuel in the aircraft fuel tanks and there was no evidence of pre or postcrash fuel leakage from the aircraft. The carburetor contained only 1.5 ounces and 3 cc of water.
The pilot did not submit an aircraft accident report to NTSB as required by NTSB regulations.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N6619Q
- Reported as
- Grumman G-164B
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 148B
- Airframe hours
- 2,000
- Engine
- P&W R-985, 450 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Positioning · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Austin, Henry Shane
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Restricted (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · February 20, 1995 · 5 hours before
- Departed
- 1R7 · Brookhaven, 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
- 27
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 1,000 total · 600 in this make and model · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 170° at 10 knots
- Visibility
- 3 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 70 °F, dew point 66 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- JAN, 30 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.