- Date
- August 5, 2006, 12:50 local (16:50 UTC)
- Place
- Hyannis, MA
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N7533FChampion 7KCAB
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report November 29, 2006
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 20060805017709A
- Case key
- 64275
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 inadequate preflight inspection, which resulted in fuel exhaustion and a subsequent total loss of engine power.
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
According to the pilot of the Champion 7KCAB, he performed a preflight inspection of the airplane, and estimated the fuel level by observing the fuel gauges, checking the fuel computer, and "sticking [his] finger in the tank." He did not visually check the amount of fuel in the fuel tanks. The pilot then departed on a banner towing flight, and after 40 minutes of flight time the engine lost total power. The pilot subsequently performed a forced landing to the water below, resulting in substantial damage to the airplane. Examination of the fuel tanks after the airplane was recovered from the water revealed that the right tank was empty, and the left tank contained about 1/8 inch of liquid spread across the bottom of the tank. Following the accident, the pilot learned that during the previous flight the fuel computer had been reset to indicate full fuel. Following that flight, the airplane was not serviced with fuel.
Factual narrative
According to the pilot of the Champion 7KCAB, he performed a preflight inspection of the airplane, and estimated the fuel level by observing the fuel gauges, checking the fuel computer, and "sticking [his] finger in the tank." He did not visually check the amount of fuel in the fuel tanks. The pilot then departed on a banner towing flight, and after 40 minutes of flight time the engine lost total power. The pilot subsequently performed a forced landing to the water below, resulting in substantial damage to the airplane. Examination of the fuel tanks after the airplane was recovered from the water revealed that the right tank was empty, and the left tank contained about 1/8 inch of liquid spread across the bottom of the tank. Following the accident, the pilot learned that during the previous flight the fuel computer had been reset the to indicate full fuel. Following that flight, the airplane was not serviced with fuel.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N7533F
- Reported as
- Champion 7KCAB
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 273-70
- Engine
- Lycoming IO-320, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Banner tow · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Dylan Aviation Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- PYM · Pylmouth, MA
- Destination
- PYM
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
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1
- Flight hours
- 1,140 total · 120 in this make and model · 177 in the last 90 days · 54 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.