BROOKWOOD, AL, USA
N6470P
Cessna 152
THE PILOT REPORTED THAT, APPROXIMATELY 20 MILES FROM SHELBY COUNTY AIRPORT, THE ENGINE BEGAN TO SPUTTER. THE PILOT HAD PLANNED TO LAND AT AN INTERVENING DESTINATION, WALKER COUNTY AIRPORT TO REFUEL. HOWEVER, HE BELIEVED HE HAD ENOUGH FUEL TO MAKE HIS DESTINATION, SHELBY COUNTY AIRPORT. UNABLE TO REACH THE AIRPORT, THE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO LAND AT A PRIVATE AIRSTRIP. A LANDING APPROACH WAS MADE TO THE PRIVATE AIRSTRIP. THE PILOT SAW THAT HE COULD NOT MAKE THE FIELD AND ATTEMPTED A GO-AROUND. DURING THE GO-AROUND, THE ENGINE QUIT AND THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED THE ROOF OF A HOUSE. AFTER THE ACCIDENT, THE PILOT STATED THAT THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH FUEL. A SALVAGE COMPANY RETRIEVED THE WRECKAGE FROM THE ROOF OF THE HOUSE AND DRAINED THE FUEL FROM THE AIRCRAFT. FUEL DRAINED PARTIALLY FILLED A TWO GALLON CONTAINER. IN A POST-ACCIDENT INTERVIEW, THE PILOT STATED THAT HE DID NOT LEAN THE FUEL MIXTURE.
On February 23, 1995, about 1402 central standard time, a Cessna 152, N6470P, collided with a house, following a loss of engine power, near Bessemer, Alabama. The airplane was operated by Astron Enterprise, Inc., under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91 and visual flight rules. A visual flight rules flight plan was filed for the solo, instructional, cross-country flight. There were no injuries to the student pilot, and the airplane was substantially damaged. Origination of the flight was Chamblee, Georgia, about 1100 eastern standard time, on the same day. The pilot filled out a flight plan for the cross-country flight. His estimated time enroute was three hours and 18 minutes and he calculated four hours and 42 minutes of fuel on board. The pilot planned to stop at Walker County Airport to refuel the aircraft. The pilot stated that he overflew Walker County Airport, and about 20 miles from Shelby County, the engine sputtered. He attempted to reach the Shelby County Airport, near Bessemer, Alabama. Unable to reach the airport, he attempted to land at a private airstrip that he observed. A landing approach was made to the private airstrip. The pilot saw that he could not make the field, and a go-around was executed. During the go-around, the engine quit, and the airplane impacted on the roof of a house. One person in the house was not injured. There was no fire. After the accident, the pilot stated that there was a problem with fuel. During a post-accident interview, the student pilot stated that he did not lean the fuel mixture during the flight. Atlanta Air Salvage was contracted to retrieve the wreckage from the roof of the house. The fuel was drained from the aircraft. The total amount of fuel drained partially filled a two gallon container.
THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO LEAN THE FUEL MIXTURE, STOP AT THE FIRST DESTINATION TO REFUEL, AND HIS INCORRECT FUEL CONSUMPTION CALCULATIONS.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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