Rockwell International 500-S incident near Jackson, Alabama, April 8, 2002
On April 8, 2002 at about 1:50 pm local time, a Rockwell International 500-S, registered N8536, was involved in an incident near Jackson, Alabama (Jackson Municipal Airport). It was flown under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's inadequate preflight planning and preparation, which resulted in fuel exhaustion, loss of engine power in both engines, and subsequent forced landing in a field.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 8, 2002 · about 1:50 pm local time
- Place
- Jackson, Alabama · Jackson Municipal Airport · map
- Type
- Incident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Rockwell International 500-S · all 500-Ss on the register
- Registration
- N8536 · registry record · serial 3267
- Damage
- Not recorded
- Flight
- Flight · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot stated the airplane was topped off with fuel. About an hour into the flight, power was lost in both engines. The pilot executed an emergency landing in a field and exited the airplane. The pilot stated she saw the fuel cap was off and hanging by its chain. Examination of the airplane revealed there was no fuel in the fuel system, and there was no evidence of fuel splatter on the wing, fuselage, or tail surfaces. The wing skin around the fuel fill port and chain attachment displayed no scratches nor dents. The fuel cap chain assembly was of the type designed to break free at 20 knots airspeed in the event a fuel cap is left unsecured, and the airplane was equipped with a non-siphoning fuel fill port. The pilot reported no mechanical malfunction, and no evidence of defect was observed with the fuel cap chain.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,764 hours in all; 81 in this make and model; 283 in the last 90 days; 123 in the last 30 days; 1,676 as pilot in command; 919 on instruments
- Last flight review: February 28, 2002
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 12,610.6 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, March 30, 2002; 11.2 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 6,750 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Lycoming L-12609-48 (piston); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: Lycoming L-10964-48 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Air Carriers, Inc.
The flight
- Departed from: EKY Bessemer AL at 12:50 pm
- Destination: BFM Mobile AL
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 18, 4,995 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 150° at 12 knots, gusting 20
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 2,900 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 61°F (16°C)
- Altimeter: 30.09 inHg
- Observation at 2:53 pm from GZH, 45 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.