19970112000859A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Piper PA-24-250 · Franklin, MN · January 12, 1997

Date: January 12, 1997 · 19:50 local
Place: Franklin, MN
Phase of flight: Fcd/Prec Ldg From Cruise
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N6495P
NTSB investigation: NTSBCHI97LA052
Reported as: Piper PA24250
Reported engine: Lycoming O540A1A
People aboard: 3
Fatal injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 339 total13 in this make and model13 in the last 90 days

N6495PRegistered now · Piper PA-24-250S/N 24-1615 Airframe modelPiper PA-24-250 Engine modelLycoming 0-540 seriesReciprocating

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.

Carb icing at cruise. Applied partial carb heat and leaned mixture. Contrary to manuel. Engine quit. Fuel exhaustion (-23) at 4000' AGL near redwood falls, MN, aircraft developed carb ice. Pilot applied partial carb heat and leaned engine. This procedure was contrary to owner's manual. Engine stopped and pilot landed gear down in field to county road 2, northeast of Franklin, Minnesota. Further field investigaion revealed fuel depletion. Engine run was normal.

As the FAA filed it

CARB ICING AT CRUISE. APPLIED PARTIAL CARB HEAT AND LEANED MIXTURE. CONTRARY TO MANUEL. ENGINE QUIT.FUEL EXHAUSTION (-23) AT 4000' AGL NEAR REDWOOD FALLS, MN, AIRCRAFT DEVELOPED CARB ICE. PILOT APPLIED PARTIAL CARB HEAT AND LEANED ENGINE. THIS PROCEDURE WAS CONTRARY TO OWNER'S MANUAL. ENGINE STOPPED AND PILOT LANDED GEAR DOWN IN FIELD TO COUNTY ROAD 2, NORTHEAST OF FRANKLIN, MINNESOTA. FURTHER FIELD INVESTIGAION REVEALED FUEL DEPLETION. ENGINE RUN WAS NORMAL.

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 CHI97LA052Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportFranklin, MNThe pilot's inadequate inflight planning and his fuel mismanagement, which resulted in fuel exhaustion and the loss of engine power. A contributing factor with this accident was a frost blocked cockpit windshield.Jan 13, 1997 · Substantial damage