Amateur-built 11A accident near Hammond, Louisiana, September 30, 2000
On September 30, 2000 at about 9:30 pm local time, a amateur-built 11A, registered N1689B, was substantially damaged in an accident near Hammond, Louisiana (Hammond Municipal 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 visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot's improper fuel consumption calculations, which resulted in fuel exhaustion. A contributory factor was the fuel cap leak, due to a worn seal.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 30, 2000 · about 9:30 pm local time
- Place
- Hammond, Louisiana · Hammond Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built 11A
- Registration
- N1689B · no longer on the register · serial 11-195
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot topped off the airplane's fuel tanks (total capacity of 40.0 gallons) and departed on a cross-country flight. The first leg of the flight was 1 hour 34 minutes in duration, and upon arrival at the refueling airport, he added 33.3 gallons of fuel to top off the fuel tanks. While on the ground, he miscalculated the actual fuel consumption rate for the flight and did not know that the fuel consumption rate had been excessive. The pilot then departed for the destination airport. He was on final approach and executed a go-around when a landing airplane failed to clear the runway with enough time for him to make a safe landing. The airplane was climbing through 300 feet agl when the engine lost total power. Subsequently, a forced landing was executed, during which the airplane impacted trees and terrain. Examination of the airplane revealed that the right wing fuel tank's filler cap was in good condition and there were no stains around the fuel cap. A fuel stain was observed around the left wing fuel tank's filler cap that was 12 inches long and fanned out from the width of the cap to 8 inches wide. The cap was removed by a mechanic and when the cap was replaced the mechanic noted that 'it didn't fit very tight as it should.' A fuel stain was observed on the left side of the vertical fin approximately 2 inches wide and 14 inches high. Additionally, 8 ounces of fuel was drained from the fuel system.
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: private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land
- Flight time: 341 hours in all; 152 in this make and model; 13 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 273 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 9, 2000
- Maximum gross weight: 1,260 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental E-185 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 4F2 Carthage TX at 7:15 pm
- Destination: HMU Hammond LA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 31, 5,001 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 070° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 5,500 ft
- Temperature: 77°F (25°C), dew point 64°F (18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:53 pm from MSY, 31 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.