Accident Piper PA-24-250 N7985P,
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ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 364508
 
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Date:Thursday 19 September 1991
Time:12:15 LT
Type:Silhouette image of generic PA24 model; specific model in this crash may look slightly different    
Piper PA-24-250
Owner/operator:Private
Registration: N7985P
MSN: 24-3223
Year of manufacture:1962
Engine model:LYCOMING IO-540-C1B5
Fatalities:Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1
Aircraft damage: Substantial
Category:Accident
Location:Arco, ID -   United States of America
Phase: Landing
Nature:Private
Departure airport:Cold Meadows, ID (U81
Destination airport:Arco-butte, ID (U57)
Investigating agency: NTSB
Confidence Rating: Accident investigation report completed and information captured
Narrative:
THE AIRCRAFT WAS PARKED ON A SLOPE LEFT WING LOW AND HAD BEEN EXPOSED TO RAIN PRIOR TO THE FLT. THE PLT SUMPED ALL 4 FUEL TANKS AND THEN VISUALLY DETERMINED THAT HE HAD SUFFICIENT FUEL FOR THE 1 HOUR FLT TO DESTINATION. AFTER DEPARTING ON THE RIGHT MAIN TANK AND BRIEFLY USING BOTH AUX TANKS AND APPROXIMATELY 30 MINUTES INTO THE FLT HE SWITCHED TO THE LEFT MAIN TANK AND THE ENGINE BEGAN MISSING. BELIEVING THAT HE HAD NO FUEL IN THE LEFT TANK HE SWITCHED TO THE LEFT AUX WHICH HE EXHAUSTED AND BACK TO RIGHT MAIN WHICH WAS ALSO EXHAUSTED. AFTER A TOTAL OF 55 MINUTES OF FLT AND WHILE APPROACHING HIS DESTINATION HE WAS UNABLE TO MAINTAIN POWER ON THE RIGHT AUX AND EXECUTED A FORCED LDG. DURING THE APPROACH HE DETERMINED THAT POWER LINES INTERFERED WITH HIS LANDING AND MANEUVERED TO AN ALTERNATE LDG SITE. THIS MANEUVER RESULTED IN THE PILOT'S INABILITY TO SAFELY FLARE DUE TO SINK RATE AND LOW AIRSPEED AND A HARD LDG FOLLOWED. A TOTAL OF 5 GALLONS OF FUEL WAS DRAINED FROM THE LEFT MAIN TANK SUBSEQUENT TO THE FORCED LDG.

Probable Cause: WATER IN THE FUEL TANK AND THE INABILITY OF THE PILOT TO FLARE FOR LANDING AFTER MANEUVERING TO AVOID TRANSMISSION LINES IN HIS FLIGHT PATH DURING THE FORCED LANDING.

Accident investigation:
cover
  
Investigating agency: NTSB
Report number: SEA91LA247
Status: Investigation completed
Duration: 1 year and 2 months
Download report: Final report

Sources:

NTSB SEA91LA247

History of this aircraft

Other occurrences involving this aircraft
4 July 2015 N7985P 0 Newton, Kansas sub
Gear collapse

Location

Revision history:

Date/timeContributorUpdates
19-Mar-2024 15:52 ASN Update Bot Added

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