# Accident 19991212043739A: Piper PA22108, Wales, ME, December 12, 1999

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: December 12, 1999, 15:30 local time
- Place: Wales, ME
- Airport: Wales Airport
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Forced/Precautionary Landing
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 44.1745° N, 70.0189° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs at WALES (ME6), within about a mile (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=44.1745&lon=-70.0189&mi=10
- Aircraft: N5279Z, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N5279Z-2013-08-20) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Piper PA-22-108 (registry code 7102204, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-22-108) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming 0-290 series (registry code 41506, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-290-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA22108
- Reported engine: LYC O320*
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 1,234 total, 92 in this make and model
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB NYC00LA051](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC00LA051) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19991212043739A

## Narrative

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

(.4) DURING THE INITIAL CLIMB AFTER TAKEOFF, THE AIRPLANE'S ENGINE SPUTTERED, AND THEN LOST TOTAL POWER. THE PILOT INITIATED A RIGHT TURN AND PERFORMED A FORCED LANDING TO A FIELD.  AFTER THE ACCIDENT, 5 GALLONS OF FUEL WAS DRAINED FROM THE LEFT FUEL TANK, AND 7 GALLONS OF FUEL WAS DRAINED FROM THE RIGHT FUEL TANK.  EXAMINATION OF THE AIRPLANE'S FUEL SYSTEM REVEALED A TOTAL BLOCKAGE IN THE LEFT FUEL TANK'S AFT FEED LINE IN THE VICINITY A BEND NEAR THE FUEL TANK CONNECTION.  ACCORDING TO THE FAA INSPECTOR'S REPORT, '...THE BEND IN THE LINE WAS CLOGGED WITH WHAT APPEARED TO BE HARD PACKED SAND....'  THERE WERE NO OTHER PRE-IMPACT DISCREPANCIES NOTED.  THE PILOT SAID HE HAD SELECTED THE LEFT FUEL TANK FOR THE TAKEOFF, AS PER THE AIRPLANE'S OPERATING HANDBOOK.  ADDITIONALLY, THE PILOT STATED THAT THE AIRPLANE HAD BEEN FLOWN FOR ABOUT 15 TO 20 HOURS SINCE IT'S MOST RECENT ANNUAL INSPECTION, WHICH WAS PERFORMED ABOUT 2 MONTHS BEFORE THE ACCIDENT.  FOR ABOUT 6 WEEKS PRIOR TO THE ANNUAL INSPECTION, THE AIRPLANE WAS PARKED IN A 'T-HANGAR' WITH BOTH WINGS REMOVED.                                                                                                                                  (-23) ON 12-12-99, AT APPROXIMATELY 1530 HRS. EST, A PIPER PA22-108, N5279Z, PILOTED BY ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ , WITH PASSENGER, ^PRIVACY DATA ^ DEPARTED WALES, ME (ME6) FOR TURNER, ME (3B5).  AFTER TAKE OFF, AT APPROXIMATELY 200 FEET AGL AND DURING A CLIMBING RIGHT TURN, THE ENGINE SPUTTERED AND QUIT.  WHEN WINGS WERE LEVELED, THE ENGINE STARTED AGAIN BUT IMMEDIATELY QUIT.  PILOT CONTINUED RIGHT TURN BACK TOWARDS RUNWAY BUT HAD TO LAND IN A FIELD.  AIRCRAFT CONTACTED GROUND ON A KNOLL CAUSING NOSE GEAR TO BREAK OFF THUS CAUSING THE AIRCRAFT TO FLIP UPSIDE DOWN.  NO INJURIES.  AIRCRAFT RECIEVED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE.

## 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 NYC00LA051](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC00LA051), Dec 12, 1999: Piper PA-22-108 (N5279Z), Wales, ME, substantial damage. Probable cause: Fuel exhaustion due to a blocked fuel feed line.

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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