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ATL92FA040

1992-01-16 · COLUMBIA, South Carolina, United States · Fatal · 1 aircraft · Status: Completed

Airport CUB

Aircraft involved

Probable cause & findings

THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND'S FAILURE TO ASSURE THAT AN ADEQUATE SUPPLY OF FUEL WAS ON BOARD THE AIRPLANE FOR THE INTENDED FLIGHT, AND HIS FAILURE TO MAINTAIN ADEQUATE AIRSPEED DURING THE FORCED LANDING RESULTING IN A STALL/SPIN. A FACTOR CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE PILOT'S LACK OF EXPERIENCE IN A CESSNA 140.

Factual narrative

AFTER LIFT-OFF, AT APRX 300 FT AGL, THE AIRCRAFT VEERED SHARPLY TO THE LEFT AND THE NOSE DROPPED. IT REMAINED IN A LEFT TURN IN A NOSE-DOWN ATTITUDE UNTIL IMPACT. FUEL ON BOARD WAS ESTIMATED TO BE APRX 5 GALS. THE AIRCRAFT OPERATION MANUAL STATES 'DO NOT TAKE OFF WITH LESS THAN 1/4 TANK.' THE FUEL CAPACITY OF THE AIRCRAFT IS 25 GALS. EXAMINATION OF THE CARBURETOR REVEALED AN IMPACT MARK ON THE FLOAT WHICH MATCHED WITH THE FUEL JET IN THE BOTTOM OF THE CARBURETOR. TESTS SHOWED THAT WITH FUEL IN THE CARBURETOR, THE FLOAT DOES NOT MAKE CONTACT WITH THE FUEL JET. THERE WAS NO RECORD IN EITHER THE PILOT'S LOGBOOK, OR THE RIGHT SEAT ATP CERTIFICATED PILOT'S LOGBOOK, OF PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE IN A CESSNA 140. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_1992_ATL92FA040.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

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