ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 348628
This information is added by users of ASN. Neither ASN nor the Flight Safety Foundation are responsible for the completeness or correctness of this information.
If you feel this information is incomplete or incorrect, you can submit corrected information.
| Date: | Sunday 3 December 2023 |
| Time: | 21:04 |
| Type: |  Piper PA-32-260 Cherokee Six |
| Owner/operator: | Registration Pending |
| Registration: | N7748J |
| MSN: | 32-1152 |
| Year of manufacture: | 1969 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 2 |
| Aircraft damage: | Substantial |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | Millington, TN -
 United States of America
|
| Phase: | Approach |
| Nature: | Private |
| Departure airport: | Gulf Shores-Edwards Airport, AL (GUF/KJKA) |
| Millington-Memphis Airport, TN (NQA/KNQA) | |
| Investigating agency: | NTSB |
| Confidence Rating: |  Information verified through data from accident investigation authorities |
On December 3, 2023, about 2104 central standard time, a Piper PA-32-260 airplane, N7748J, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Millington, Tennessee. The private pilot was not injured, and the flight instructor sustained minor injuries. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight.
According to the flight instructor, the afternoon and evening involved a roundtrip flight from the airplane’s base airport of Millington/Memphis Airport (NQA), Millington, Tennessee to Gulf Shores International Airport (JKA), Gulf Shores, Alabama. The private pilot was the pilot flying for both flights and he was accumulating flight time in his airplane for insurance purposes.
The flight instructor reported that the flight to JKA was uneventful, and they topped off the fuel tanks during the stop. The flight departed for NQA at 1832 and cruised uneventfully at 4,500 ft mean sea level. While enroute, they switched between the two inboard left and right main fuel tanks and did not use the wingtip tanks. During the approach to land, the before landing check was completed and the fuel selector was positioned to the left main tank. The instructor recalled that during the approach, the left and right main inboard tanks indicated a little less than 10 gallons, and the wingtip tanks were indicating full, however, the fuel gauges were “bobbing” throughout the flight.
The flight instructor further reported, about 500 ft above ground level, on final approach to runway 22 with full flaps, the engine suddenly “went quiet” and the engine had lost all power. The private pilot continued to fly the airplane and the flight instructor stated, “best glide” airspeed, which the private pilot continued to maintain. Subsequently, the fuel selector was moved from the left main tank position to the left wingtip tank. Shortly after the fuel tank selector was moved, engine power began increasing, however, nearly simultaneously with this restoration of power, the airplane impacted terrain about 900 ft short of the runway threshold.
According to a Federal Aviation Administration inspector that examined the airplane at the accident site, the fuselage and wings sustained substantial damage. There was no fuel located in either the left main tank or left wingtip tank. About 15 gallons of fuel was drained from the right wingtip tank and about 3 gallons from the right main tank.
According to a fuel receipt from JKA airport, a top-off was requested and 40.3 gallons of fuel was added to the airplane.
The wreckage was retained for further examination.
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
NTSB
FAA
https://www.flightaware.com/live/flight/N7748J
https://www.trade-a-plane.com/search?make=PIPER&model_group=PIPER+CHEROKEE+PA32+SERIES&model=CHEROKEE+6%2F260&listing_id=2422026&s-type=aircraft
https://www.airport-data.com/images/aircraft/001/403/001403631.jpg (photo)
Location
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 05-Dec-2023 16:12 | Captain Adam | Added |
| 27-Dec-2023 21:01 | Captain Adam | Updated [Time, Source, Narrative, Category, Accident report] |
Corrections or additions? ... Edit this accident description
The Aviation Safety Network is an exclusive service provided by:
Quick Links:
| ASN Home | Send Correction / Feedback |
| FSF Home | Disclaimer | Copyright |
| Contact Us | Privacy Policy |
| Press / Media |
CONNECT WITH US:
©2024 Flight Safety Foundation