# Accident 19960610025839A: Piper PA25235, Waterville, KS, June 10, 1996

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: June 10, 1996, 20:20 local time
- Place: Waterville, KS
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Fcd/Prec Ldg From Cruise
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 39.6892° N, 96.7409° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=39.6892&lon=-96.7409&mi=10
- Aircraft: N7289Z, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N7289Z) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Piper PA-25-235 (registry code 7102504, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-25-235) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming 0-540 series (registry code 41532, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-540-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA25235
- Reported engine: LYC O540B2B5
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 18 total
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB CHI96LA218](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI96LA218) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19960610025839A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

(.4)ON JUNE 10, 1996, AT 2020 CENTRAL DAYLIGHT TIME, A PIPER PA-25-235, N7289Z, SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE DURING A FORCED LANDING NEAR WATERVILLE, KANSAS.  THE PILOT TOLD AUTHORITIES THAT THE ENGINE QUIT IN CRUISE FLIGHT AND HE INITITATED A FORCED LANDING.  THE LANDING WAS IN AN OPEN FIELD WITH HIGH VEGETATION.  THE AIRPLANE NOSED OVER.  THE PILOT REPORTED NO INJURIES.  THE 14 CFR PART 91 POSITIONING FLIGHT WAS BEING CONDUCTED IN VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS.  NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS ON FILE.  THE FLIGHT DEPARTED MACON, MISSOURI, TIME UNKNOWN WITH THE INTENDED DESTINATION OF BELOIT, KANSAS.  AFTER THE ACCIDENT, THE AIRPLANE WAS RIGHTED FOR EXAMINATION.  NO FUEL REMAINED IN THE FUEL TANK.  IN WAS NOTED THAT A FUEL LEAK AT THE GASCOLATOR WAS PRESENT WHEN THE FUEL VALVE WAS OPENED.  THE PILOT STATED THAT IT WAS HIS PRACTICE TO TURN OFF THE VALVE PRIOR TO LEAVING THE COCKPIT AFTER LANDING AND TO TURN ON THE VALVE AFTER ENTERING COCKPIT PRIOR TO STARTING THE ENGINE.  A FUEL LEAK FROM THE GASCOLATOR CONNOT BE OBSERVED BY THE PILOT WHEN HE IS IN THE COCKPIT.  FOUR GALLONS OF AVIATION FUEL WERE ADDED TO THE FUEL TANK.  THE ENGINE WAS STARTED AND RAN AT IDLE AND FULL POWER.  MAGNETO OPER ATIONAL CHECKS PERFORMED WITHIN SPECIFICATIONS.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB CHI96LA218](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI96LA218), Jun 11, 1996: Piper PA-25-235 (N7289Z), Waterville, KS, substantial damage. Probable cause: the pilot's inadequate preflight procedure. Factors were fuel exhaustion, a leak in the fuel filtering system, and high vegetation.

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft 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. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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