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ATL89FA066

1989-01-03 · SPRINGFIELD, Ohio, United States · Fatal · 1 aircraft · Status: Completed

Airport SGH

Aircraft involved

Probable cause & findings

FUEL EXHAUSTION PRECIPATATED BY THE INADEQUATE FUEL CONSUMPTION CALCULATIONS PERFORMED BY THE PILOT, PRESSURE FROM THE COMPANY PRESIDENT TO NOT CARRY EXCESS FUEL AND IMPROPER IN-FLIGHT PLANNING/DECISIONS BY THE PILOT BY NOT REFUELING ENROUTE BEFORE FUEL WAS EXHAUSTED. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE INADEQUATE SURVEILLANCE AND CERTIFICATION OF THE OPERATOR BY THE FAA.

Factual narrative

THE PLT WAS MAKING A CONTRACT CARGO FLT UNDER FAR 91 RULES AND HAD EXPERIENCED ICG ENROUTE. WHEN JUST PAST DAYTON, HE INDICATED THAT HE 'HAD A LITTLE FUEL PROBLEM' AND NEEDED TO GET INTO OSU WITHOUT DELAYS. A SHORT TIME LATER HE INDICATED THAT HE NEEDED TO GO TO THE NEAREST AIRPORT. HE WAS VECTORED TOWARD SGH FOR LDG. HE THEN INDICATED THAT HE HAD LOST AN ENGINE AND A SHORT TIME LATER INDICATED THAT HE HAD LOST THE OTHER ENGINE. THE ACFT CRASHED IN A RESIDENTIAL AREA. THERE WAS NO FIRE AND ONLY RESIDUAL FUEL WAS FOUND IN THE AIRPLANE. THE COMPANY PRESIDENT INDICATED THAT HE DID NOT ENCOURAGE HIS PILOTS TO CARRY 'EXCESS FUEL'. IT WAS REPORTED THAT THIS PILOT, ALONG WITH OTHERS, HAD BEEN 'CHEWED OUT' FOR CARRYING 'EXCESS FUEL'. THE OPERATION SHOULD HAVE BEEN CONDUCTED UNDER FAR 135 RULES SINCE THE COMPANY HAD RETAINED OPERATIONAL CONTROL OF THE OPERATION. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_1989_ATL89FA066.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

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