NTSB CAROL · Event
Event FTW89LA160
Aircraft involved
Probable cause & findings
A LOOSE FUEL LINE CONNECTION, DUE TO INADEQUATE MAINTENANCE, WHICH RESULTED IN FUEL STARVATION. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: DARKNESS AND THE OBSTRUCTIONS (HAY BALE & APPROACH LIGHT POLE) IN THE EMERGENCY LANDING AREA.
Factual narrative
DURING A VISUAL APCH TO LAND AT NIGHT, THE ENG LOST POWER AT ABOUT 400' AGL. THE PLT SAID THE LANDING LIGHTS PROVIDED SUFFICIENT LIGHTING TO LAND SAFELY, BUT HE WAS UNABLE TO SEE HAY BALES OR AN APCH LIGHT POLE IN THE EMERGENCY LANDING AREA IN TIME TO AVOID THEM. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE ACFT WAS DAMAGED BY A HAY BALE & THE LIGHT POLE. THE ACFT HAD BEEN SVCD WITH 87 GAL OF FUEL, WHICH WAS SUFFICIENT FOR THE 3 HR & 25 MIN FLT. HOWEVER, AN EXAM REVEALED THE FUEL TANKS WERE NEARLY EMPTY. A FURTHER EXAM REVEALED THAT THE FUEL LINE FROM THE FIREWALL TO THE ENG WAS ONLY FINGER TIGHT AT THE CONNECTION WITH THE ENG. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12
Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file
NTSB_1989_FTW89LA160.txt.
Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb.
Full investigation docket on
data.ntsb.gov ↗.
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Related research
What the literature says.
Academic papers and agency reports matching this event's aircraft type or causal vocabulary (fuel starvation, maintenance). Sourced from NASA NTRS, NTSB Safety Studies, FAA CAMI, AOPA Air Safety Institute, Embry-Riddle Scholarly Commons, arXiv, and the Semantic Scholar academic graph.
- Embry-Riddle Scholarly Commons 2026 · Journal article (IJAAA)
From Reactive to Predictive: A hybrid Trust-Mediated Adoption Framework for Data-Driven Maintenance in Distributed-Authority Aviation Environments
Modern aviation maintenance operates within increasingly data-intensive technological environments, yet the operational integration of predictive maintenance into routine decision-making remains incon…
- Semantic Scholar 2025 · Article (Applied Sciences)
Decision-Making Framework for Aviation Safety in Predictive Maintenance Strategies
The implementation of predictive maintenance (PM) in aviation presents unique challenges due to strict safety requirements, complex operational environments, and regulatory constraints.
- Embry-Riddle Scholarly Commons 2024 · Journal article (JAAER)
Low-Resource Automatic Speech Recognition Domain Adaptation – A Case-Study in Aviation Maintenance
With timeliness and efficiency being critical in the aviation maintenance industry, the need has been growing for smart technological solutions that optimize and streamline the different underlying ta…
- Embry-Riddle Scholarly Commons 2024 · Journal article (JAAER)
A New Trajectory in UAV Safety: Leveraging Reinforcement Learning for Distance Maintenance Under Wind Variations
In the field of aviation, safety is a critical cornerstone, and the operation of Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) systems is deeply connected with this principle.
- Embry-Riddle Scholarly Commons 2024 · Journal article (IJAAA)
Just Culture in Aviation: A Metaphorical Study on Aircraft Maintenance Students
Just Culture, a sub-dimension of safety culture, has been a prominent and debated topic in aviation safety in recent years.
- Embry-Riddle Scholarly Commons 2024 · Journal article (IJAAA)
Performance PRISM: A Comprehensive Framework For Performance Measurement In Aircraft Maintenance
Aircraft maintenance is governed by rigorous safety requirements and high operational complexity, demanding robust performance measurement frameworks to ensure optimal maintenance practices.
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