Grumman G-164A N9696

Summary

On 29 April 1993 at about 18:35 local time, a Grumman G-164A registered N9696, operated by Coates Flying Service, Inc., was involved in an accident near Hamilton, Alabama, United States. One person was on board and one had minor injuries. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

29 April 1993 at 18:35

Classification

Accident

Location

Hamilton, Alabama, United States

Coordinates

34.1396, -87.9798

Aircraft

Grumman G-164A

Registration

N9696

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Coates Flying Service, Inc.

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Ferry

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Hayti → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ATL93LA084

1 person had minor injuries.

THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO PROPERLY CALCULATE FUEL CONSUMPTION AT AN INCREASED POWER SETTING, WHICH RESULTED IN FUEL EXHAUSTION AND LOSS OF ENGINE POWER. TREES AT THE FORCED LANDING AREA WERE A FACTOR IN THE ACCIDENT.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE PILOT REPORTED THAT ABOUT ONE HOUR AND FORTY TWO MINUTES INTO THE FERRY FLIGHT, THE ENGINE QUIT DUE TO FUEL EXHAUSTION. THE AIRCRAFT WAS FORCE LANDED INTO FORESTED AREA, WHERE IT COLLIDED WITH TREES AND TERRAIN. THE PILOT CALCULATED THAT THERE WAS ABOUT TWO HOURS AND TWENTY MINUTES OF FUEL ON BOARD WHEN THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED. THE OPERATOR PROVIDED FUEL BURN DATA FROM PREVIOUS FLIGHTS, HOWEVER THIS DATA WAS BASED ON A GROUND SPEED OF ABOUT 78 KNOTS, WITH 28 INCHES MANIFOLD PRESSURE AND 2,000 RPM. THE INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE AVERAGE GROUND SPEED DURING THE ACCIDENT FLIGHT WAS ABOUT 100 KNOTS, WHICH WOULD HAVE REQUIRED A HIGHER ENGINE POWER SETTING. AN EXAMINATION OF THE AIRCRAFT WRECKAGE REVEALED NO EVIDENCE OF A FUEL LEAK.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.