Rutherfordton - Salisbury

On August 1, 1991 at 02:35 PM, Rutherfordton - Salisbury experienced a crash involving Cessna 401, operated by Hyman S. Fisher, with the event recorded near Rutherfordton North Carolina.

The flight was categorized as private and the reported phase was takeoff (climb) at a airport (less than 10 km from airport) crash site.

1 people were known to be on board, 1 fatalities were recorded, 0 survivors were identified or estimated. This corresponds to an estimated fatality rate of 100.0%.

Crew on board: 1, crew fatalities: 1, passengers on board: 0, passenger fatalities: 0, other fatalities: 0.

The listed crash cause is technical failure. The accident occurred during the pilot's second attempt to fly to his destination. According to airport personnel, he did not refuel the airplane after he returned from the first attempt. He had onloaded 43.6 gallons of fuel before departing on the first flight. After departing Rutherfordton on the second flight, the airplane was observed about 400 feet above the ground and 4 miles north of Monroe. One witness reported that the right engine was sputtering as it flew overhead; seconds later, the airplane crashed into a wooded area. A wreckage examination disclosed that the fuel system was empty. No fuel was found in the left engine fuel flow divider. Airport personnel also reported the pilot was not knowledgeable of the aircraft fuel system. According to the owner's manual, the fuel consumption rate for cruise at 75% power was about 16 gallons per hour per engine. The pilot had operated the engines approximately 2 hours 10 minutes before they lost power. The pilot, sole on board, was killed.

Aircraft reference details include registration N3298Q, MSN 401-0098, year of manufacture 1969.

Geospatial coordinates for this crash are approximately 35.3693°, -81.9568°.