Fuel exhaustion Accident Piper PA-34 N4354A,
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ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 298213
 
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Date:Monday 17 December 2001
Time:08:15 LT
Type:Silhouette image of generic PA34 model; specific model in this crash may look slightly different    
Piper PA-34
Owner/operator:Great Southern Bank
Registration: N4354A
MSN: 34-8433041
Engine model:Continental TSIO360 KB
Fatalities:Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 3
Aircraft damage: Substantial
Category:Accident
Location:Clinton, Missouri -   United States of America
Phase: Unknown
Nature:Executive
Departure airport:Springfield , MO (3DW)
Destination airport:Kansas City-Charles B. Wheeler Downtown Airport, MO (MKC/KMKC)
Investigating agency: NTSB
Confidence Rating: Accident investigation report completed and information captured
Narrative:
The airplane sustained substantial damage during a forced landing to a field, 500 feet short of the runway. While in cruise flight at 8,000 feet msl on an IFR flight plan, the airplane lost power on one engine. An emergency was declared and the airplane was given radar vectors to an airport. The pilot made a visual approach to the airport, but on final approach, the airplane lost power to the remaining engine and landed short of the runway. The pilot reported that during preflight he did not visually verify the fuel load by removing the fuel caps and looking into the fuel tanks, since there was "...standing water in the fuel caps and a moderate rainfall at near freezing [temperatures] and I did not want to contaminate my fuel." He reported that during taxi for takeoff the fuel gages read 1/2 full. He reported he expected to be able to return "...with just over an hour of fuel on board and leaving on a 45 minute flight." He reported that, "20 minutes into the flight my fuel gages began falling to empty." He reported, "30 miles west of GLY the right engine quit [.] I secured the engine and declared the emergency." The pilot requested radar vectors for GLY. The pilot reported he found a hole in the clouds and descended through it. He reported he was, "...getting established on a short final [when] the left engine quit with the aircraft settling short of the runway." The inspection of the airplane revealed there was no fuel in the tanks and neither propeller was found in the feathered position.

Probable Cause: the pilot's inadequate prefight, his failure to feather the propellers, and the fuel exhaustion.

Accident investigation:
cover
  
Investigating agency: NTSB
Report number: CHI02LA052
Status: Investigation completed
Duration: 7 months
Download report: Final report

Sources:

NTSB CHI02LA052

Revision history:

Date/timeContributorUpdates
15-Oct-2022 15:19 ASN Update Bot Added

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