# Incident 19980305005439I: Piper PA32R300, Fairbanks, AK, March 5, 1998

- Type: FAA incident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: March 5, 1998, 16:10 local time
- Place: Fairbanks, AK
- Phase of flight: Final Approach
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Operator: BTHA
- Location: 64.8378° N, 147.7164° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Fairbanks, AK, within about 6 miles (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=64.8378&lon=-147.7164&mi=10
- Aircraft: N75387, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N75387) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Piper PA-32R-300 (registry code 7103213, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-32r-300) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming TI0-540 series (registry code 41533, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-ti0-540-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA32R300
- Reported engine: LYC IO540K1A5
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 1,796 total, 148 in this make and model, 148 in the last 90 days
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19980305005439I

## Narrative

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

NARRATIVE: MR. WINFIELD STATED THAT HE WAS ON DESCENT INTO FAIRBANKS WITH THE FULLEST FUEL TANK SELECTED (LEFT TANK) WHEN THE ENGINE QUIT. HE SWITCHED TO THE RIGHT TANK AND THE ENGINE STARTED AGAIN. THE ENGINE RAN ON THE RIGHT TANK FOR A COUPLE OF MINUTES AND QUIT AGAIN. HE SWITCHED BACK TO THE LEFT TANK WITH NO EFFECT. MR. WINFIELD EXECUTED AN EMERGENCY LANDING ON THE ICE OF THE CHINA RIVER. THERE WAS NO DAMAGE TO THE AIRCRAFT. BEFORE PERSONNEL FROM THIS OFFICE ARRIVED SIX OR SEVEN GALLONS OF FUEL WAS ADDED. WHEN THE TANKS WERE DRAINED, 18 GALLONS WERE REMOVED FROM THE LEFT AND 2 PT. FROM THE RIGHT.

## Other reports on N75387 (2)

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

- [Incident 19920907042089I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19920907042089I), Sep 7, 1992: Piper PA32R300 (N75387), Fairbanks, AK. Nose gear indicator light would not lite. Landed ski strip successfully. Faulty nose gear switch.
- [Incident 19860728046489I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19860728046489I), Jul 28, 1986: Piper PA32R300 (N75387), Park Rapids, MN, Minor damage. Pilot was trying to close door when aircraft descended and struck a powerline. Made off airport 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.

---
OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.
