Lake LA-250 N85JW
30 October 1994 · Westfield, Massachusetts, United States · Minor injuries
Summary
On 30 October 1994 at about 23:25 local time, a Lake LA-250 registered N85JW was involved in an accident near Westfield, Massachusetts, United States. One person was on board and one had minor injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.
The record
- Date
- at 23:25
- Classification
- Accident
- Location
- Westfield, Massachusetts, United States
- Nearest airport
- Barnes Municipal (BAF)
- Coordinates
- Not recorded
- Aircraft
- Lake LA-250
- Registration
- N85JW
- Category
- Airplane
- Engines
- 1
- Operator
- Not recorded
- Operating rule
- Part 91: General Aviation
- Purpose of flight
- Business
- Phase of flight
- Not recorded
- Route
- Nashville → Barnes Muni
- Aircraft damage
- Substantial
- Weather
- VMC
- Light
- Night/Dark
- NTSB number
- NYC95LA019
People
1 person had minor injuries.
| On board | Died | Serious | Minor | Uninjured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
Probable cause
the pilot's improper in-flight planning and inaccurate fuel consumption calculations, resulting in fuel exhaustion and the subsequent forced landing at night.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.
Read the full NTSB narrative
THE PILOT DEPARTED ON A 750 MILE CROSS COUNTRY FLIGHT IN HIS AMPHIBIAN AIRPLANE. THE FUEL TANKS WERE FILLED TO THEIR CAPACITY OF 88 GALLONS. DURING THE ARRIVAL AND DESCENT AT THE DESTINATION AIRPORT, THE PILOT EXPERIENCED A COMPLETE LOSS OF ENGINE POWER. THE PILOT ATTEMPTED AN ENGINE RESTART WITHOUT SUCCESS AND DECLARED AN EMERGENCY WITH THE AIRPORT CONTROL TOWER. THE PILOT DECIDED THAT HE WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO GLIDE TO THE AIRPORT AND ATTEMPTED TO LAND ON A HIGHWAY. ON FINAL APPROACH TO THE HIGHWAY, WITH THE LANDING GEAR AND FLAPS EXTENDED, THE AIRPLANE STRUCK WIRES AND NOSED OVER ONTO THE HIGHWAY. THERE WAS NO ODOR OF FUEL AT THE ACCIDENT SCENE. EXAMINATION OF THE 5 FUEL TANKS REVEALED ONLY 8 OUNCES OF FUEL IN THE LEFT SPONSON TANK AND 12 OUNCES OF FUEL IN THE CENTER FUSELAGE TANK. A POST ACCIDENT ENGINE EXAMINATION WAS COMPLETED AND THE ENGINE PRODUCED RATED POWER AND SHOWED NO EVIDENCE OF MALFUNCTIONS.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.
Other Lake LA-250 accidents
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 30 Jun 1994 | Lake LA-250 | Jefferson City, Missouri, United States | - | Minor injuries | - |
| 3 Oct 1992 | Lake LA-250 | Franklin, New Hampshire, United States | Lake Aircraft, Inc. | Fatal | 1 |
| 25 Aug 1996 | Lake LA-250 | Hamilton Twp, New Jersey, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 29 Sep 1991 | Lake LA-250 | Sisters, Oregon, United States | Stuart W. Moore | Fatal | 3 |
| 27 Jul 1990 | Lake LA-250 | Rawlins, Wyoming, United States | - | Minor injuries | - |
| 6 Jul 1987 | Lake LA-250 | Alton Bay, New Hampshire, United States | - | No injuries | - |
Other accidents in this area
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 21 Jul 1994 | Cessna 172N | Chatham, Massachusetts, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 20 Sep 1994 | Cessna 172P | Sterling, Massachusetts, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 7 Jun 1994 | Mooney M20J | Edgartown, Massachusetts, United States | Peter N Spanos | Fatal | 1 |
| 19 Nov 1994 | Cessna 402C | Hyannis, Massachusetts, United States | Island Airlines, Inc. | Fatal | 1 |
| 19 Nov 1994 | Mooney M20J | Brewster, Massachusetts, United States | - | Fatal | 1 |
| 6 Jun 1994 | Beechcraft 24R | Nantucket, Massachusetts, United States | - | Fatal | 2 |