19960314004229A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Piper PA-38-112 · St Paul, MN · March 14, 1996

Date: March 14, 1996 · 20:30 local
Place: St Paul, MN
Phase of flight: Normal Cruise
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N2503B
NTSB investigation: NTSBCHI96LA107
Reported as: Piper PA38112
Reported engine: Lycoming O235L2C
People aboard: 2
Fatal injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 343 total100 in this make and model8 in the last 90 days

N2503BRegistration cancelled Jul 18, 1996 · Piper PA-38-112S/N 3879A0095 Airframe modelPiper PA-38-112

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

Lost power en route round robin. Made several stops. Landed on city highway. Fuel tanks were empty. Struck objects. (-23) on 03/14/96 at 2030 CST Piper PA-28-112, N2503B, piloted by owner, michael d. swan, private pilot #471251199, made an off airport landing on state highway 36 in st. Paul, MN. The flight was VFR originating from lake elmo, MN at 1630 CST, direct north to duluth, MN area with a landing at hayward, WI. 2 hrs 10 min flight time on left fuel tank. Switched fuel tanks on approach to hayward. At anoka city, MN. He performed airwork and departed for lake elmo, MN. Engine sputtered, switched to left fuel tank, only 500 feet AGL. Prepared for emergency landing on highway 36. Damage to left wing spar, left flap, right landing gear, propeller and right door post. Field invest. Could drain app. 4 cups fuel from complete fuel system. Fuel system complete and fuel strainer was clean. 1 pax, no fire, no injuries.

As the FAA filed it

LOST POWER EN ROUTE ROUND ROBIN. MADE SEVERAL STOPS. LANDED ON CITY HIGHWAY. FUEL TANKS WERE EMPTY. STRUCK OBJECTS. (-23) ON 03/14/96 AT 2030 CST PIPER PA-28-112, N2503B, PILOTED BY OWNER, MICHAEL D. SWAN, PRIVATE PILOT #471251199, MADE AN OFF AIRPORT LANDING ON STATE HIGHWAY 36 IN ST. PAUL, MN. THE FLIGHT WAS VFR ORIGINATING FROM LAKE ELMO, MN AT 1630 CST, DIRECT NORTH TO DULUTH, MN AREA WITH A LANDING AT HAYWARD, WI. 2 HRS 10 MIN FLIGHT TIME ON LEFT FUEL TANK. SWITCHED FUEL TANKS ON APPROACH TO HAYWARD. AT ANOKA CITY, MN. HE PERFORMED AIRWORK AND DEPARTED FOR LAKE ELMO, MN. ENGINE SPUTTERED, SWITCHED TO LEFT FUEL TANK, ONLY 500 FEET AGL. PREPARED FOR EMERGENCY LANDING ON HIGHWAY 36. DAMAGE TO LEFT WING SPAR, LEFT FLAP, RIGHT LANDING GEAR, PROPELLER AND RIGHT DOOR POST. FIELD INVEST. COULD DRAIN APP. 4 CUPS FUEL FROM COMPLETE FUEL SYSTEM. FUEL SYSTEM COMPLETE AND FUEL STRAINER WAS CLEAN. 1 PAX, NO FIRE, NO INJURIES.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB CHI96LA107Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportSt. Paul, MNthe pilot's failure to assure an adequate fuel supply for the flight which resulted in fuel exhaustion. A factor associated with the accident was the signs contacted by the airplane during the forced landing.Mar 15, 1996 · Substantial damage