19961201036899A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Piper PA32R301T · Grand Canyon, AZ · December 1, 1996

Date: December 1, 1996 · 10:36 local
Place: Grand Canyon, AZ
Airport: Grand Canyon National Park
Phase of flight: Fcd/Prec Ldg From Cruise
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N3566X
NTSB investigation: NTSBLAX97LA060
Reported as: Piper PA32R301T
Reported engine: Lycoming TIO540*
People aboard: 5
Fatal injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 200 total

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.

Aircraft was inbound to airport, low on fuel, made emergency landing on a fire road near airport. (.4)the pilot called the tower on the radio at 1009 and stated he was inbound to the airport with a low fuel state. Shortly thereafter, the pilot reported that the engine had quit and he would not make the runway. The aircraft landed on a forest service road and collided with trees during the ground roll. In a written statement to responding sheriff's deputies the pilot reported that he 'miscalculated the fuel for the duration of the trip and ran out of gas.' Examination of the fuel system revealed that it was intact and contained only residual fuel.

As the FAA filed it

AIRCRAFT WAS INBOUND TO AIRPORT, LOW ON FUEL, MADE EMERGENCY LANDING ON A FIRE ROAD NEAR AIRPORT. (.4)THE PILOT CALLED THE TOWER ON THE RADIO AT 1009 AND STATED HE WAS INBOUND TO THE AIRPORT WITH A LOW FUEL STATE. SHORTLY THEREAFTER, THE PILOT REPORTED THAT THE ENGINE HAD QUIT AND HE WOULD NOT MAKE THE RUNWAY. THE AIRCRAFT LANDED ON A FOREST SERVICE ROAD AND COLLIDED WITH TREES DURING THE GROUND ROLL. IN A WRITTEN STATEMENT TO RESPONDING SHERIFF'S DEPUTIES THE PILOT REPORTED THAT HE 'MISCALCULATED THE FUEL FOR THE DURATION OF THE TRIP AND RAN OUT OF GAS.' EXAMINATION OF THE FUEL SYSTEM REVEALED THAT IT WAS INTACT AND CONTAINED ONLY RESIDUAL FUEL.

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 LAX97LA060Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportTusayan, AZFuel exhaustion due to the pilot's inadequate preflight planning and his miscalculation of the fuel required for the flight.Dec 1, 1996 · Substantial damage