Date:	Saturday 28 August 2021
Time:	11:40 LT
Type:	Piper PA-32-260 Cherokee Six
Owner/operator:	Mmf Aircraft LLC
Registration:	N3862W
MSN:	32-805
Year of manufacture:	1966
Total airframe hrs:	2733 hours
Engine model:	Lycoming O-540-E4B5
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 3
Aircraft damage:	Substantial
Category:	Accident
Location:	NW of Spartanburg Downtown Memorial Airport, SC -   United States of America
Phase:	En route
Nature:	Training
Departure airport:	Morganton-Foothills Regional Airport, NC (KMRN)
Destination airport:	Spartanburg, SC
Investigating agency:	NTSB
Confidence Rating:	Accident investigation report completed and information captured

Narrative:
Prior to the cross-country instructional flight, the airplane had a total fuel load of about 70 gallons, which was enough for about 5 hours of total flight time. After about 2.3 hours of flight, as they approached the home airport about 800 ft above ground level, there was a complete loss of engine power. The flight instructor and student pilot performed the emergency checklist to no avail. During the ensuing forced landing, the airplane impacted trees and terrain about 3/4 of a mile from the airport.
The instructor and student had departed with the fuel selector on the right tank and switched to the left tank during the flight. Neither pilot recalled switching back to the right tank during the later stages of the flight. Fire rescue personnel reported that they moved the fuel selector from the left main tank to the off position after the accident. A surveillance video that captured a portion of the final impact showed a misty vapor that was likely vaporized fuel emanating from the trees as a fuel tank ruptured during impact, indicating there was fuel on board. A postaccident examination of the airframe and engine revealed no evidence of any preimpact mechanical anomalies that would have precluded normal operation. Based on this information it is most likely that the fuel selector remained on the left main tank until all the fuel it contained was exhausted, which resulted in a loss of engine power due to fuel starvation.

Probable Cause: The flight instructor's improper fuel management, which resulted in fuel starvation and a total loss of engine power.

NTSB ERA21LA344
FAA register: NTSB ERA21LA344
FAA register: NTSB ERA21LA344
FAA register: https://registry.faa.gov/aircraftinquiry/Search/NNumberResult?nNumberTxt=3862W

https://flightaware.com/live/flight/N3862W/history/20210828/1509Z/KSPA/KSPA

NTSB ERA21LA344
FAA register: https://registry.faa.gov/aircraftinquiry/Search/NNumberResult?nNumberTxt=3862W

https://flightaware.com/live/flight/N3862W/history/20210828/1509Z/KSPA/KSPA

NTSB ERA21LA344
FAA register: NTSB ERA21LA344
FAA register: https://registry.faa.gov/aircraftinquiry/Search/NNumberResult?nNumberTxt=3862W

https://flightaware.com/live/flight/N3862W/history/20210828/1509Z/KSPA/KSPA

NTSB ERA21LA344
FAA register: https://registry.faa.gov/aircraftinquiry/Search/NNumberResult?nNumberTxt=3862W

https://flightaware.com/live/flight/N3862W/history/20210828/1509Z/KSPA/KSPA

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
28-Aug-2021 23:20	Captain Adam	Added
28-Aug-2021 23:20	Captain Adam	Updated [Date]
28-Aug-2021 23:31	Geno	Updated [Location, Source]
28-Aug-2021 23:31	Geno	Updated [Location]
29-Aug-2021 03:58	RobertMB	Updated [Aircraft type, Registration, Cn, Operator, Location, Nature, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative]
29-Aug-2021 15:45	Anon.	Updated [Time, Phase, Source, Category]
06-Feb-2022 17:58	Anon.	Updated [Source, Narrative]
17-Apr-2022 12:25	Captain Adam	Updated [Time, Location, Departure airport, Source, Narrative, Category]
28-Jul-2023 19:22	ASN Update Bot	Updated [[Time, Location, Departure airport, Source, Narrative, Category]]