ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 187071
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| Date: | Sunday 8 May 2016 |
| Time: | 16:40 |
| Type: |  Piper PA-28 Cherokee |
| Owner/operator: | |
| Registration: | N5046W |
| MSN: | 28-48 |
| Year of manufacture: | 1961 |
| Total airframe hrs: | 4110 hours |
| Engine model: | Lycoming O-320 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1 |
| Aircraft damage: | Substantial |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | Brackett Field Airport (KPOC), La Verne, CA -
 United States of America
|
| Phase: | Approach |
| Nature: | Private |
| Departure airport: | Fullerton, CA (FUL) |
| La Verne, CA (POC) | |
| Investigating agency: | NTSB |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
The private pilot estimated that he departed on the 10-minute, 16-mile, local flight with one fuel tank about one-half full and the other tank about one-quarter full; he did not recall which tank he had the fuel selector positioned to during takeoff. During descent for landing, the pilot observed the engine rpm decrease to between 500 and 600 rpm, at which time he declared an emergency. The pilot switched fuel tanks but did not remember which tank he selected or whether the engine lost total power. The pilot made a forced landing on the roof of an industrial office building.
During examination of the airplane after it was recovered from the roof of the building, about 7.5 gallons of fuel was drained from the left wing, and about 1 quart of fuel was drained from the right wing; no visible contamination was observed. Additionally, the fuel selector was selected to the right tank position. Other than the absence of fuel in the right tank, examination of the airframe and engine revealed no anomalies that would have precluded normal engine operation. Further, the lack of rotational damage to the propeller was consistent with a loss of engine power before impact. While atmospheric conditions at the time of the accident were conducive to carburetor ice, the physical evidence supports the position that total loss of engine power was due to fuel starvation.
Probable Cause: The pilot's mismanagement of the available fuel, which resulted in a total loss of engine power due to fuel starvation.
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
NTSB
https://flightaware.com/resources/registration/N5046W
Location
Media:
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 08-May-2016 20:56 | Geno | Added |
| 08-May-2016 21:00 | Geno | Updated [Aircraft type, Operator, Total fatalities, Total occupants, Other fatalities, Location, Source] |
| 09-May-2016 01:28 | Geno | Updated [Time, Aircraft type, Operator, Total fatalities, Total occupants, Other fatalities, Location, Phase, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Damage, Narrative, Plane category] |
| 09-May-2016 02:08 | Geno | Updated [Registration, Cn, Operator, Source] |
| 14-May-2016 09:49 | Iceman 29 | Updated [Embed code] |
| 21-Dec-2016 19:30 | ASN Update Bot | Updated [Time, Damage, Category, Investigating agency] |
| 24-Apr-2017 15:26 | PiperOnslaught | Updated [Departure airport, Source, Narrative] |
| 19-Aug-2017 14:30 | ASN Update Bot | Updated [Time, Total occupants, Other fatalities, Nature, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Embed code, Narrative] |
| 19-Aug-2017 14:31 | ASN Update Bot | Updated [Source] |
| 19-Aug-2017 14:37 | harro | Updated [Source, Embed code] |
| 19-Aug-2017 14:49 | ASN Update Bot | Updated [Source] |
Corrections or additions? ... Edit this accident description
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