# Accident 19961202036989A: Piper PA32260, Felton, PA, December 2, 1996

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: December 2, 1996, 20:45 local time
- Place: Felton, PA
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: Fcd/Prec Ldg From Cruise
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 39.8508° N, 76.5609° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=39.8508&lon=-76.5609&mi=10
- Aircraft: N5538J, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N5538J-2000-03-22) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Piper PA-32-260 (registry code 7103206, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-32-260) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA32260
- Reported engine: LYC O540E4B5
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 1
- Pilot flight hours: 490 total, 20 in this make and model, 37 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB NYC97FA025](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC97FA025) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19961202036989A

## Narrative

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

(.4)THE PILOT DEPARTED THE ROUND TRIP CROSS COUNTRY FLIGHT WITH A TOTAL OF 50 GALLONS OF FUEL. THE FIRST FLIGHT WAS 2 HOURS AND 15 MINUTES.  PRIOR TO THE RETURN NIGHT FLIGHT, THE PILOT ELECTED NOT TO REFUEL THE AIRPLANE.  THE AIRPLANE WAS ONE HOUR INTO THE RETURN FLIGHT, 70 NAUTICAL MILES FROM THE DEPARTURE POINT, AND 90 MILES FROM THE FINAL DESTINATION, WHEN THE ENGINE LOST TOTAL POWER.  THE PILOT THEN PERFORMED A FORCED LANDING, DURING WHICH THE AIRPLANE IMPACTED TREES.  EXAMINATION OF THE WRECKAGE REVEALED NO EVIDENCE OF PREIMPACT FAILURES WITH THE AIRPLANE.  A FEW TABLESPOONS OF FUEL WAS OBSERVED IN THE CARBURETOR GASCOLATOR.  BOTH MAIN FUEL TANKS HAD RUPTURED AND WERE ABSENT OF FUEL.  THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE OF A FUEL SPILL IN THE VICINITY OF THE WRECKAGE.  THE LAST REFUELING FACILITY WAS TESTED AND FOUND FREE FROM CONTAMINATION.   THE FUEL BURN WAS CALCULATED TO BE 14 GALLONS PER HOUR ALLOWING A TOTAL FLIGHT ENDURANCE OF 3.5 HOURS WITH NO RESERVE.  THE AIRPLANE WAS OPERATED FOR 3.3 HOURS PRIOR TO LOSING TOTAL ENGINE POWER.

## 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 NYC97FA025](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC97FA025), Dec 3, 1996: Piper PA-32-260 (N5538J), Felton, PA, destroyed, 1 fatal. Probable cause: The pilot's inadequate preflight planning and preparation, and his failure to refuel which resulted in fuel exhaustion and the subsequent collision with trees during the forced landing.

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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