Boeing PT-17 N411BT

Summary

On 19 July 2003 at about 18:09 local time, a Boeing PT-17 registered N411BT was involved in an accident near Hendersonville, North Carolina, United States. 6 people were on board and 2 had minor injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

19 July 2003 at 18:09

Classification

Accident

Location

Hendersonville, North Carolina, United States

Coordinates

35.3301, -82.4705

Aircraft

Boeing PT-17

Registration

N411BT

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Other Work Use

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Hendersonville → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ATL03LA118

2 people had minor injuries.

The pilot's inadequate preflight planning/preparation of fuel required for the flight, resulting in a total loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion. A factor in the accident was pilot impairment due to alcohol consumption.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The airplane was in cruise flight when the engine lost power. The pilot made an approach for an emergency landing to a street and the airplane collided with two moving cars. The pilot stated that the airplane had been refueled about a week before the accident and had about a half tank during the preflight inspection. He took off and flew about 3 or 4-glider tow flights before the accident. Examination of the crash site revealed the fuel tank was not ruptured and the fuel gauge indicated empty. Sixteen ounces of fuel was drained out of the fuel tank and six ounces of fuel was drained out of the gascolator. No fuel was visible in the fuel tank, and no fuel was present on the pavement. A police officer smelled the odor of alcoholic beverage on the pilot's breath and a blood alcohol test was ordered and administered 1 hour 31 minutes after the accident. The specimens were forwarded to the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation for analysis. The results indicated the pilot's alcohol concentration was 0.08 grams of alcohol per 100 milliters of whole blood. The Federal Code of Regulations states no person may act or attempt to act as a crewmember of a civil aircraft while having a .04 percent by weight or more alcohol in the blood.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.