19980616025639A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Piper PA-25-260 · Douglas, WY · June 16, 1998

Date: June 16, 1998 · 19:00 local
Place: Douglas, WY
Phase of flight: Takeoff Ground Roll
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N8531L
NTSB investigation: NTSBFTW98LA270
Reported as: Piper PA25260
Reported engine: Lycoming O540G1A5
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 560 total65 in this make and model45 in the last 90 days

N8531LRegistration cancelled Feb 15, 2000 · Piper PA-25-260S/N 25-4950 Airframe modelPiper PA-25-260

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.

Out of fuel landed in tall grass field. Refueled. Took off. Struck a ridge on climbout. Bushes slowed takeoff. (.4)while on a ferry flight, approximately 20 miles from the airport where refueling was planned, the aircraft engine lost all power due to fuel exhaustion, and the pilot landed in a field. He hitchhiked to the airport and purchased 15 gallons of fuel which was put in the aircraft. The pilot then attempted to takeoff from unsuitable terrain. The aircraft got about 4 feet in the air and dragged both wings on the terrain before the pilot re-landed and stopped the aircraft. (-23)pilot reported he was in cruise flight when the engine gradually lost power. Investigation and a witness statement shows the airplane was out of fuel. He landed in a field with high vegetation. No damage to the airplane. He got a ride to the airport and bought 15 gallons of fuel. During the attempted take off he crashed when it hit a ridge on one side of a ravine, then lost control.

As the FAA filed it

OUT OF FUEL LANDED IN TALL GRASS FIELD. REFUELED. TOOK OFF. STRUCK A RIDGE ON CLIMBOUT. BUSHES SLOWED TAKEOFF. (.4)WHILE ON A FERRY FLIGHT, APPROXIMATELY 20 MILES FROM THE AIRPORT WHERE REFUELING WAS PLANNED, THE AIRCRAFT ENGINE LOST ALL POWER DUE TO FUEL EXHAUSTION, AND THE PILOT LANDED IN A FIELD. HE HITCHHIKED TO THE AIRPORT AND PURCHASED 15 GALLONS OF FUEL WHICH WAS PUT IN THE AIRCRAFT. THE PILOT THEN ATTEMPTED TO TAKEOFF FROM UNSUITABLE TERRAIN. THE AIRCRAFT GOT ABOUT 4 FEET IN THE AIR AND DRAGGED BOTH WINGS ON THE TERRAIN BEFORE THE PILOT RE-LANDED AND STOPPED THE AIRCRAFT. (-23)PILOT REPORTED HE WAS IN CRUISE FLIGHT WHEN THE ENGINE GRADUALLY LOST POWER. INVESTIGATION AND A WITNESS STATEMENT SHOWS THE AIRPLANE WAS OUT OF FUEL. HE LANDED IN A FIELD WITH HIGH VEGETATION. NO DAMAGE TO THE AIRPLANE. HE GOT A RIDE TO THE AIRPORT AND BOUGHT 15 GALLONS OF FUEL. DURING THE ATTEMPTED TAKE OFF HE CRASHED WHEN IT HIT A RIDGE ON ONE SIDE OF A RAVINE, THEN LOST CONTROL.

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 FTW98LA270Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportDouglas, WYThe pilot's inadequate judgement in attempting to takeoff from unsuitable rough terrain.Jun 17, 1998 · Substantial damage

Other reports on N8531L · 1

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

Accident 19990521020929ALow Level Operations · Richfield, UTOn may 21, 1999, at 0646 mountain daylight time, a Piper PA-25-260, N8531L, owned and operated by the pilot, was destroyed following an in-flight collision with wires while maneuvering 6 miles north of the Richfield municipal airport, Richfield, Utah. The…May 21, 1999 · Destroyed