# Accident 19970531012249A: Piper PA22108, Alanson, MI, May 31, 1997

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: May 31, 1997, 20:07 local time
- Place: Alanson, MI
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: Forced/Precautionary Landing
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 45.4400° N, 84.7807° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=45.4400&lon=-84.7807&mi=10
- Aircraft: N5739Z, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N5739Z-1998-12-02) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Piper PA-22-108 (registry code 7102204, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-22-108) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA22108
- Reported engine: LYC O235C1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 92 total, 72 in this make and model
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB CHI97LA153](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI97LA153) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19970531012249A

## Narrative

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

AIRCRAFT ENGINE QUIT AND PILOT MADE EMERGENCY LANDING, ROLLED OVER SEVERAL TIMES. (.4)INADEQUATE PREFLIGHT BY THE PILOT, WHICH RESULTED IN FUEL STARVATION, DUE TO AN IMPROPER FUEL TANK SELECTOR POSITION. A FACTOR RELATING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS: THE PILOT'S IMPROPER INFLIGHT PLANNING/DECISION, WHICH RESULTED IN HIS DELAY OR INABILITY TO FLARE THE AIRPLANE DURING THE EMERGENCY LANDING.                                                                         (-23) AIRCRAFT DEPARTED 18 FROM A PUT STRIP S. OF ALANSON MI.  WITNESSES SAW THE AIRCRAFT MAKE A LEFT TURN & HEADED NORTH.  THE AIRCRAFT RETURNED ON A SOUTHERLY HDG ON DOWNWIND FOR 36.  THE POWER CAME BACK AND THE AIRCRAFT TURNED TOWARDS THE RUNWAY APPROACH END OF 36, IN A STEEP DESCENT.  THE NOSE CAME UP SLIGHTLY AND BACK DOWN, HITTING A PINE TREE EAST OF THE RUNWAY AND THEN STRIKING THE GROUND.

## 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 CHI97LA153](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI97LA153), Jun 1, 1997: Piper PA-22-108 (N5739Z), Alanson, MI, destroyed. Probable cause: inadequate preflight by the pilot, which resulted in fuel starvation, due to an improper fuel tank selector position. A factor relating to the accident was: the pilot's improper inflight…

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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