Accident Dassault Falcon 20C N179GA,

ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 322848

Date:	Tuesday 8 April 2003
Time:	18:50
Type:	Dassault Falcon 20C
Owner/operator:	Grand Aire Express
Registration:	N179GA
MSN:	100
Year of manufacture:	1967
Total airframe hrs:	15899 hours
Engine model:	General Electric CF700-2D2
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 2
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed, written off
Category:	Accident
Location:	14 km WSW of Saint Louis-Lambert International Airport, MO (STL) - United States of America
Phase:	Unknown
Nature:	Cargo
Departure airport:	Del Rio International Airport, TX (DRT/KDRT)
Destination airport:	Saint Louis-Lambert International Airport, MO (STL/KSTL)
Investigating agency:	NTSB
Confidence Rating:	Accident investigation report completed and information captured

Narrative:
The airplane was on a second approach to land on runway 30R after having been instructed by air traffic control to climb during the final approach segment of the first approach due to inadequate separation from another airplane. The aircraft was low on fuel but the pilot did not notify ATC until they were on base turn to finals. The airplane ran out of fuel and both engines lost power. The crew then ditched their Falcon 20 into the Mississippi River. Both pilots were rescued.

PROBABLE CAUSE: "The pilot in command's improper in-flight decision not to divert to an alternate destination resulting in the exhaustion of the airplane's fuel supply, and his failure to relay his low fuel state to air traffic control in a timely manner."

Accident investigation: