Boeing PT-17 accident near Hendersonville, North Carolina, July 19, 2003
On July 19, 2003 at about 6:09 pm local time, a Boeing PT-17, registered N411BT, was substantially damaged in an accident near Hendersonville, North Carolina. It was an other work-use flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's inadequate preflight planning/preparation of fuel required for the flight, resulting in a total loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion. A factor in the accident was pilot impairment due to alcohol consumption.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 19, 2003 · about 6:09 pm local time
- Place
- Hendersonville, North Carolina · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Boeing PT-17 · all PT-17s on the register
- Registration
- N411BT · registry record · serial 75-2455
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Other work-use flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane was in cruise flight when the engine lost power. The pilot made an approach for an emergency landing to a street and the airplane collided with two moving cars. The pilot stated that the airplane had been refueled about a week before the accident and had about a half tank during the preflight inspection. He took off and flew about 3 or 4-glider tow flights before the accident. Examination of the crash site revealed the fuel tank was not ruptured and the fuel gauge indicated empty. Sixteen ounces of fuel was drained out of the fuel tank and six ounces of fuel was drained out of the gascolator. No fuel was visible in the fuel tank, and no fuel was present on the pavement. A police officer smelled the odor of alcoholic beverage on the pilot's breath and a blood alcohol test was ordered and administered 1 hour 31 minutes after the accident. The specimens were forwarded to the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation for analysis. The results indicated the pilot's alcohol concentration was 0.08 grams of alcohol per 100 milliters of whole blood. The Federal Code of Regulations states no person may act or attempt to act as a crewmember of a civil aircraft while having a .04 percent by weight or more alcohol in the blood.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,350 hours in all; 850 in this make and model; 58 in the last 90 days; 20 in the last 30 days; 2,202 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: June 6, 2002
- Medical certificate: Class 2
- Seat: rear
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 6, 2002; 18 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,200 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Pratt & Whitney R-985-14B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 0A7 Hendersonville TN at 4:15 pm
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 300° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 3,600 ft
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 66°F (19°C)
- Altimeter: 30.07 inHg
- Observation at 6:10 pm from AVL, 8 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.