ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 299320
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| Date: | Sunday 13 February 2000 |
| Time: | 16:30 LT |
| Type: |  Piper PA-24-250 |
| Owner/operator: | Private |
| Registration: | N7878P |
| MSN: | 24-3104 |
| Year of manufacture: | 1962 |
| Total airframe hrs: | 3453 hours |
| Engine model: | Lycoming O-540-A1D5 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 2 |
| Aircraft damage: | Substantial |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | COLLEGE STATION, Texas -
 United States of America
|
| Phase: | Unknown |
| Nature: | Private |
| Departure airport: | CONROE , TX (KCXO) |
| (KCLL) | |
| Investigating agency: | NTSB |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
On final approach at the destination airport, the airplane's engine 'stopped.' The pilot switched fuel tanks and turned on the fuel pump. Engine power was not restored. Upon realizing that the approach glidepath would put the airplane into trees, the pilot elected to land in a field short of the trees. Continuity of the fuel system was confirmed. Physical evidence of contamination (ferrous and nonferrous) was found throughout the fuel system (fuel strainer, selector valve, electric fuel pump, left wing fuel cavity, and carburetor) indicating that water had been present at some time and was allowed to remain in the system. During the preflight, it is necessary for the pilot to select each tank with the fuel selector valve then individually drain it, from the cockpit, prior to flight, using the drain valve on the fuel selector. The individual tanks are not equipped with drain sumps. If a fuel tank, that was not drained properly, was selected during flight, water and/or contaminants could be introduced into the engine causing a partial loss of power or engine stoppage. The engine was removed from the airframe, and during an engine run, no apparent anomalies were found.
Probable Cause: The loss of engine power due to fuel system contamination. A factor was the lack of suitable terrain for the forced landing.
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
NTSB FTW00LA081
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 16-Oct-2022 05:16 | ASN Update Bot | Added |
Corrections or additions? ... Edit this accident description
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