Rockwell International 114 accident near Birmingham, Alabama, December 9, 2009
On December 9, 2009 at about 3:00 am local time, a Rockwell International 114, registered N5872N, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near Birmingham, Alabama (Birmingham International airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A total loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion as a result of the pilot’s inadequate preflight fuel planning.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 9, 2009 · about 3:00 am local time
- Place
- Birmingham, Alabama · Birmingham International · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Rockwell International 114 · all 114s on the register
- Registration
- N5872N · registry record · serial 14417
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot stated that he was conducting an instrument-flight-rules flight with an estimated flight time of 1 hour and 33 minutes. He encountered unanticipated headwinds along the route of flight, and as he neared his destination airport he learned that weather conditions had deteriorated below minimums. The pilot diverted to a nearby airport, but was unable to complete the approach due to a windshear encounter. He then diverted to a third airport and reported that he was concerned about the airplane's available fuel. The pilot again aborted his first approach due to a windshear encounter and during a subsequent approach the airplane experienced a total loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion. The pilot performed a forced landing to a field prior to the runway. The airplane's nose and left main landing gears collapsed upon contact with a ditch, which resulted in substantial damage to the left wing.
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
What happened, in order
- Fuel exhaustion during approach (IFR final approach)
- Off-field or emergency landing during approach (IFR final approach)
- Ground collision during landing defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware › Fluids › Fuel › Fluid level
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Planning/preparation › Fuel planning › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 492 hours in all; 437 in this make and model; 123 in the last 90 days; 35 in the last 30 days; 418 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: August 22, 2009
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,902 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 1, 2009
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540 SER (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Staples Investment Group
The flight
- Departed from: D73 Monroe GA at 11:30 pm
- Destination: EET Alabaster AL
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 18, 7,100 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night
- Wind: from 170° at 23 knots, gusting 34
- Visibility: 6 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 1,300 ft
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 63°F (17°C)
- Altimeter: 29.62 inHg
- Observation at 1:53 am from BHM, 2 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.