# Accident 20010109000969A: Piper PA24250, Pittsview, AL, January 9, 2001

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: January 9, 2001, 15:00 local time
- Place: Pittsview, AL
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Fcd/Prec Ldg From Cruise
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 32.1607° N, 85.1194° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=32.1607&lon=-85.1194&mi=10
- Aircraft: N5887P, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N5887P-2017-02-28) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Piper PA-24-250 (registry code 7102404, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-24-250) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming 0-540 series (registry code 41532, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-540-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA24250
- Reported engine: LYC O540A1A
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 260 total, 193 in this make and model, 20 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB MIA01LA058](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA01LA058) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20010109000969A

## Narrative

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

(-23) MR. TANNER STATED THAT HE HAD HIS FUEL TANKS TOPPED OFF AT LAKELAND, FLORIDA. AFTER WHICH HE PROCEEDED TO HEAD TO HIS FINAL DESTINATION WHICH WAS AUBURN AIRPORT IN ALABAMA. HE STATED AFTER TAKE-OFF HIS PASSENGER NOTICED THAT THE COVER TO THE FUEL TANK ON THE RIGHT SIDE HAD BLOWN OPEN. (NOT THE FUEL CAP). HE NOTIFIED THE TOWER OF HIS PROBLEM AND THEY CLEARED HIM TYO LAND TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM. AFTER WHICH HE DEPARTED FOR AUBURN AIRPORT, MR. TANNER STATED HE FELT HE HAD ENOUGH FUEL WITH A THIRTY MINUTE RESERVE FOR THIS TRIP. WHEN ASKED AT THE SCENE WHAT HE FLIGHT PLANNED FOR AS FAR AS AIRSPEED MR. TANNER RESPONDED TO 140 KTS. THE INSPECTOR ASKED HIM WHAT HIS GROUND SPEED WAS COMING UP FROM FLORIDA HE REPLIED 90 TO 95 KTS. MR. TANNER TOLD SGT CORBETT OF THE RUSSELL COUNTY SHERIFF'S DEPT. AT THE SCENE THAT HE PROBABLY RAN OUT OF GAS. THE NEXT DAY AT THE SCENE MR. TANNER TOLD THE INSPECTOR INVESTIGATING THE ACCIDENT IN FRONT OF THE INSURANCE INVESTIGATOR THAT HE RAN OUT OF FUEL.                                                                                                                                                                                                             (.4) ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, HE HAD FLOWN THE SAME TRIP AS THE ACCIDENT FLIGHT FIVE TIMES PREVIOUSLY, EXCEPT FOR THREE DIFFERENCES; (1) ON THIS PARTICULAR FLIGHT, THE REFUELERS DID NOT TOP OFF THE FUEL TANKS AS REQUESTED, (2) FOLLOWING DEPARTURE, THE FLIGHT HAD TO RETURN TO THE DEPARTURE AIRPORT DUE TO INADVERTENTLY LEAVING THE RIGHT WING FUELING DOOR OPEN, AND (3) THE FLIGHT ENCOUNTERED UNANTICIPATED STRENGTH OF HEAD WINDS. NINE MINUTES SHORT OF DESTINATION, THE ENGINE STOPPED OPERATING, AND THE PILOT CONDUCTED AN EMERGENCY LANDING TO A VACANT FIELD. THE PILOT WAS NOT INJURED, A PASSENGER SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES, AND THE AIRCRAFT RECIEVED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. POSTCRASH EXAMINATION OF THE AIRCRAFT AND IT'S COMPONENTS REVEALED NO MECHANICAL MALFUNCTIONS, AND THE FUEL TANKS CONTAINED NO FUEL. POSTCRASH, THE PILOT STATED TO THE FAA THAT, "I RAN OUT OF GAS."

## 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 MIA01LA058](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA01LA058), Jan 9, 2001: Piper PA-24-250 (N5887P), Pittsview, AL, substantial damage. Probable cause: The failure of the pilot to conduct proper preflight planning, resulting in loss of engine power while in cruise flight due to fuel exhaustion, and the subsequent emergency descent and landing to an…

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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