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ATL90LA079

1990-03-10 · TUSCALOOSA, Alabama, United States · None · 1 aircraft · Status: Completed

Airport TCL

Aircraft involved

Probable cause & findings

PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN AN ADEQUATE FUEL SUPPLY, WHICH RESULTED IN FUEL EXHAUSTION AND ENGINE STOPPAGE.

Factual narrative

DURING THE DESCENT FOR LANDING, THE PILOT REPORTED THAT THE ENGINE QUIT SUDDENLY. THE LOSS OF POWER OCCURRED ABOUT FOUR HOURS INTO THE FLIGHT. THE AIRPLANE WAS FORCE LANDED IN A FIELD AND WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED. WHEN ASKED HOW MUCH FUEL HE HAD ON BOARD AT THE TIME OF THE POWER LOSS, HE REPLIED THAT HE DID NOT KNOW, HOWEVER HE HAD MADE THE SAME TRIP PREVIOUSLY WITHOUT REFUELING. AN INSPECTION OF THE AIRPLANE AFTER THE ACCIDENT REVEALED THAT THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE OF FUEL IN THE FUEL SYSTEM, INCLUDING BOTH FUEL TANKS. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_1990_ATL90LA079.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

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