20000716040769A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Piper PA-24-250 · Immokalee, FL · July 16, 2000

Date
July 16, 2000 · 10:47 local
Place
Immokalee, FL
Phase of flight
Forced/Precautionary Landing
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage
Substantial damage
Aircraft
N980AC
NTSB investigation
NTSBMIA00LA218
Reported as
Piper PA24250
Reported engine
Lycoming IO540C1B5
Fatal injuries
0
Pilot’s flight hours
669 total6 in this make and model221 in the last 90 days

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.

(.4) At departure, the airplane had been operated for 1.8 hours since fueling. The pilot rated student (student) had not received systems ground instruction but preflighted the airplane. Fuel was noted in the right main fuel tank; he intended on inquiring about the quantity with the CFI, but didn't. the flight departed with the fuel selector positioned to the right main fuel tank and remained on that position until the engine experienced a loss of power. The CFI took the controls and stated she moved the fuel selector; the student stated he could not recall if she moved the fuel selector after the loss of power but during the flight, 'he did not touch the fuel selector at all.' The CFI stated the airplane impacted the ground at about 100 knots; the student stated that the airplane, 'came straight down for the last few feet.' Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed the fuel selector was positioned to the right main fuel tank; no fuel was noted in that tank. The remaining fuel tanks were nearly full. No fuel was in the fuel line at the inlet of the engine driven fuel pump; the fuel selector and auxiliary fuel pump checked satisfactory.

As the FAA filed it

(.4) AT DEPARTURE, THE AIRPLANE HAD BEEN OPERATED FOR 1.8 HOURS SINCE FUELING. THE PILOT RATED STUDENT (STUDENT) HAD NOT RECEIVED SYSTEMS GROUND INSTRUCTION BUT PREFLIGHTED THE AIRPLANE. FUEL WAS NOTED IN THE RIGHT MAIN FUEL TANK; HE INTENDED ON INQUIRING ABOUT THE QUANTITY WITH THE CFI, BUT DIDN'T. THE FLIGHT DEPARTED WITH THE FUEL SELECTOR POSITIONED TO THE RIGHT MAIN FUEL TANK AND REMAINED ON THAT POSITION UNTIL THE ENGINE EXPERIENCED A LOSS OF POWER. THE CFI TOOK THE CONTROLS AND STATED SHE MOVED THE FUEL SELECTOR; THE STUDENT STATED HE COULD NOT RECALL IF SHE MOVED THE FUEL SELECTOR AFTER THE LOSS OF POWER BUT DURING THE FLIGHT, 'HE DID NOT TOUCH THE FUEL SELECTOR AT ALL.' THE CFI STATED THE AIRPLANE IMPACTED THE GROUND AT ABOUT 100 KNOTS; THE STUDENT STATED THAT THE AIRPLANE, 'CAME STRAIGHT DOWN FOR THE LAST FEW FEET.' POSTACCIDENT EXAMINATION OF THE AIRPLANE REVEALED THE FUEL SELECTOR WAS POSITIONED TO THE RIGHT MAIN FUEL TANK; NO FUEL WAS NOTED IN THAT TANK. THE REMAINING FUEL TANKS WERE NEARLY FULL. NO FUEL WAS IN THE FUEL LINE AT THE INLET OF THE ENGINE DRIVEN FUEL PUMP; THE FUEL SELECTOR AND AUXILIARY FUEL PUMP CHECKED SATISFACTORY.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

Other reports on N980AC · 2

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