19980726017739A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Piper PA-25-235 · Panama City Bea, FL · July 26, 1998

Date: July 26, 1998 · 14:00 local
Place: Panama City Bea, FL
Phase of flight: Fcd/Prec Ldg From Cruise
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N8807L
NTSB investigation: NTSBMIA98LA211
Reported as: Piper PA25235
Reported engine: Lycoming O540B2C5
Fatal injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 1,521 total31 in this make and model254 in the last 90 days

N8807LRegistration cancelled Feb 16, 2005 · Piper PA-25-235S/N 25-5304 · Built 1971 Airframe modelPiper PA-25-235 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.

Banner towing operation, acft was heading back to banner strip and lost power, came to rest in trees in inverted position, pilot sustained minor inj. (-23) pilot ran out of gas, landed on golf course, hit trees. (.4)during the second banner tow flight of the day while flying at 800 feet MSL, the engine sputtered then quit due to fuel exhaustion. The pilot initiated a descent for a forced landing during which, engine power was restored momentarily then the engine quit again the pilot maneuvered the airplane for a landing on a golf course and during the landing roll on a fairway, the airplane collided with a tree. The airplane then yawed 180 degrees, became airborne, and collided with a tree 15-feet AGL. Post crash examination of the fuel tank and gascolator revealed no fuel. The fuel tank was intact and testing of the fuel gauge revealed no evidence of preimpact failure or malfunction.

As the FAA filed it

BANNER TOWING OPERATION, ACFT WAS HEADING BACK TO BANNER STRIP AND LOST POWER, CAME TO REST IN TREES IN INVERTED POSITION, PILOT SUSTAINED MINOR INJ. (-23) PILOT RAN OUT OF GAS, LANDED ON GOLF COURSE, HIT TREES. (.4)DURING THE SECOND BANNER TOW FLIGHT OF THE DAY WHILE FLYING AT 800 FEET MSL, THE ENGINE SPUTTERED THEN QUIT DUE TO FUEL EXHAUSTION. THE PILOT INITIATED A DESCENT FOR A FORCED LANDING DURING WHICH, ENGINE POWER WAS RESTORED MOMENTARILY THEN THE ENGINE QUIT AGAIN THE PILOT MANEUVERED THE AIRPLANE FOR A LANDING ON A GOLF COURSE AND DURING THE LANDING ROLL ON A FAIRWAY, THE AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH A TREE. THE AIRPLANE THEN YAWED 180 DEGREES, BECAME AIRBORNE, AND COLLIDED WITH A TREE 15-FEET AGL. POST CRASH EXAMINATION OF THE FUEL TANK AND GASCOLATOR REVEALED NO FUEL. THE FUEL TANK WAS INTACT AND TESTING OF THE FUEL GAUGE REVEALED NO EVIDENCE OF PREIMPACT FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION.

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 MIA98LA211Accident · Serious injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportPanama City Bch, FLThe pilot's inadequate inflight planning, which resulted in fuel exhaustion and the loss of engine power.Jul 26, 1998 · Substantial damage

Other reports on N8807L · 1

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

Accident 19880717027009AFcd/Prec Ldg From Cruise · Chebanse, ILRan out of fuel returning to base after spraying afield. Aircraft struck a fence on the forced landing.Jul 17, 1988 · Substantial damage