Champion 7KCAB N5124T

Summary

On 13 August 1988 at about 18:10 local time, a Champion 7KCAB registered N5124T was involved in an accident near Grand Haven, Michigan, United States. One person was on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

13 August 1988 at 18:10

Classification

Accident

Location

Grand Haven, Michigan, United States

Coordinates

43.0504, -86.2207

Aircraft

Champion 7KCAB

Registration

N5124T

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Business

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Grand Haven → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CHI88DEM08

Nobody was injured.

THE PILOT'S INATTENTIVE FUEL SYSTEM MONITORING, AND THE RESULTANT TOTAL FAILURE OF THE AIRCRAFT'S POWERPLANT DUE TO FUEL EXHAUSTION. A FORCED LANDING WAS EXECUTED ON A STRETCH OF BEACH WITH SAND DUNES, AND THE AIRCRAFT WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED DURING THE ROUGH TOUCHDOWN AND LANDING ROLL. THE PILOT EXPECTED TO HAVE AT LEAST ANOTHER HOUR OF FUEL, BASED ON PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE. FUEL QUANTITY WAS BEING JUDGED BY TIMING THE DURATION OF ACCUMULATED FLIGHTS; NO ELECTRIC FUEL QUANTITY INDICATOR WAS INSTALLED.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE PILOT STATED THAT HE WAS TOWING BANNERS ON THE DAY OF THE ACCIDENT. AFTER TOWING THE THIRD BANNER FOR AN ESTIMATED 1 1/4 HOURS, HE WAS RETURNING TO THE DEPARTURE AIRPORT WHEN THE AIRCRAFT'S ENGINE FAILED COMPLETELY. HE SELECTED THE 'CLOSEST FIELD THAT LOOKED THE BEST...' AND EXECUTED A FORCED LANDING ON AN AREA OF ROUGH SAND DUNES. THE PILOT HAD A COMMERCIAL PILOT'S CERTIFICATE WITH APPROXIMATELY 633 HOURS TOTAL FLIGHT TIME, OF WHICH 72 HOURS WERE IN THE ACCIDENT MAKE AND MODEL AIRCRAFT. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT HE HAD BEEN TOWING BANNERS FOR 'TWO SEASONS' AND 'ALWAYS TIMED...FUEL BURN TO LEAVE 1 HOUR RESERVE.' HE STATED THAT HE JUDGED HIS FUEL QUANTITY BY THE CUMULATIVE HOURS THE AIRCRAFT HAD FLOWN SINCE THE AIRCRAFT HAD NO ELECTRIC FUEL QUANTITY INDICATOR. HE STATED THAT HE ESTIMATED THAT HE HAD ONE HOUR OF FUEL REMAINING WHEN THE ENGINE QUIT.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.