ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 38713
This information is added by users of ASN. Neither ASN nor the Flight Safety Foundation are responsible for the completeness or correctness of this information.
If you feel this information is incomplete or incorrect, you can submit corrected information.
| Date: | Friday 27 February 1998 |
| Time: | 21:04 LT |
| Type: |  Piper PA-28R-180 |
| Owner/operator: | Kovach/muska |
| Registration: | N4679J |
| MSN: | 28R30579 |
| Total airframe hrs: | 2447 hours |
| Engine model: | Lycoming IO-360-B1E |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 2 |
| Aircraft damage: | Substantial |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | Walbridge, OH -
 United States of America
|
| Phase: | En route |
| Nature: | Private |
| Departure airport: | Sandusky, OH (KSKY) |
| Lambertville, MI (3G9 | |
| Investigating agency: | NTSB |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
When the pilot preflighted the airplane, he observed the fuel in the right tank was even with the point where the bottom of the tank met the outboard vertical wall of the tank, which he estimated was 13 gallons. He observed the fuel in the left tank to be level with a point about 2 inches from the outboard vertical wall, along the bottom surface of the tank, which he estimated was 7-8 gallons. The pilot then flew a 30 minute flight stopping at Sandusky, Ohio, to pick up a passenger. During the second takeoff under dark night conditions, the pilot told the passenger to expect the engine to quit because he planned to run the fuel out of the left tank, and save the right tank for the approach. About 10 minutes after takeoff the engine quit. The pilot switched tanks and the engine restarted for a few minutes, and then quit again while the aircraft was climbing through 7,700 feet. The pilot performed a forced landing noticing wires in his flight path and 'dove sharply to avoid them' without success. The airplane struck a lower set of wires on approach to a field. Examination of the wreckage revealed the left and right fuel tanks were intact and contained about 1/2 quart of fuel each. The airplane's useable fuel capacity was 48 gallons, and according to range charts, the engine's fuel consumption rate was 8.1 gallons per hour at 70% power. The airplane had been flown about 5.91 hours since its last refueling.
Probable Cause: the pilot's failure to refuel the aircraft resulting in fuel exhaustion, and his unsuccessful attempt to clear the wires. Contributing factors were the pilot's inadequate preflight, dark night conditions, and the wires.
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
NTSB NYC98LA069
Location
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 24-Oct-2008 10:30 | ASN archive | Added |
| 21-Dec-2016 19:23 | ASN Update Bot | Updated [Time, Damage, Category, Investigating agency] |
| 07-Apr-2024 14:28 | ASN Update Bot | Updated [Time, Operator, Other fatalities, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative, Category, Accident report] |
Corrections or additions? ... Edit this accident description
The Aviation Safety Network is an exclusive service provided by:
Quick Links:
| ASN Home | Send Correction / Feedback |
| FSF Home | Disclaimer | Copyright |
| Contact Us | Privacy Policy |
| Press / Media |
CONNECT WITH US:
©2024 Flight Safety Foundation