ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 353692
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| Date: | Saturday 3 October 1998 |
| Time: | 13:10 LT |
| Type: |  Piper PA-28-180 |
| Owner/operator: | Private |
| Registration: | N8194W |
| MSN: | 282321 |
| Total airframe hrs: | 2680 hours |
| Engine model: | Lycoming O-360-A3A |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 4 |
| Aircraft damage: | Substantial |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | Horizon City, TX -
 United States of America
|
| Phase: | En route |
| Nature: | Private |
| Departure airport: | San Antonio, TX (KSAT) |
| Los Angeles, CA (KLAX) | |
| Investigating agency: | NTSB |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
The airplane lost engine power while in cruise flight due to fuel exhaustion. The pilot stated that he encountered unforecasted headwinds that added 30 minutes to the planned flight time resulting in a total flight time of 4 hours. He observed the fuel gauges reading lower than he expected, but thought the airplane had enough fuel to make it to the West Texas Airport, El Paso, Texas, where he planned to refuel the airplane. Subsequently, the right tank ran out of fuel. Fifteen minutes later, when the left fuel tank was selected, the engine lost power. A forced landing was executed to rough and uneven terrain, 7 miles southeast of the West Texas Airport, El Paso, Texas. An FAA inspector examined the site and found no evidence of fuel at the site. He stated that the left tank was empty and the right tank contained 1/4 inches of fuel.
Probable Cause: The fuel exhaustion due to the pilot's failure to refuel the airplane. Factors were the unfavorable wind condition and the lack of suitable terrain for the forced landing.
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
NTSB FTW99LA002
Location
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 10-Mar-2024 09:32 | ASN Update Bot | Added |
Corrections or additions? ... Edit this accident description
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