# Accident 20020308003459A: Piper PA18150, Winnemucca, NV, March 8, 2002

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: March 8, 2002, 12:02 local time
- Place: Winnemucca, NV
- Damage: No damage
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 41.1209° N, 118.0496° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=41.1209&lon=-118.0496&mi=10
- Aircraft: N742, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N742) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Piper PA-18-150 (registry code 7101828, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-18-150) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming 0-320 series (registry code 41508, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA18150
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB LAX02TA105](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX02TA105) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20020308003459A

## Narrative

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

(.19) ON MARCH 8, 2002, AT 1202 PACIFIC STANDARD TIME, A PIPER PA-18-150, N742, LOST ENGINE POWER ON FINAL APPROACH FOR THE WINNEMUCCA MUNICIPAL AIRPORT (WMC), WINNEMUCCA, NEVADA, AND CAME TO REST INVERTED IN AN OPEN FIELD. THE AIRPLANE, OPERATED BY THE US DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE (USDA) UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF 14 CFR PART 91, WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGE. THE COMMERCIAL PILOT AND A NON-RATED PASSENGER WERE NOT INJURED. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED FOR THE LOCAL AREA ANIMAL CONTROL FLIGHT AND NO FLIGHT PLAN HAD BEEN FILED. THE FLIGHT DEPARTED WMC ABOUT 0600 THE MORNING OF THE ACCIDENT. DURING AN INTERVIEW, THE PILOT STATED THAT THEY HAD BEEN FLYING FOR ABOUT 5.5 HOURS. WHILE ON THE LANDING APPROACH FOR THE FINAL LANDING OF THE DAY, THE ENGINE BEGAN RUNNING ROUGHLY. IT SUBSEQUENTLY QUIT, AND A FORCED LANDING WAS MADE IN AN OPEN FIELD. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE FUELED THE AIRPLANE TO CAPACITY BEFORE THE DAY'S INITIAL TAKEOFF. NORMALLY, HE REPORTED, THE AIRPLANE IS FLOWN BETWEEN 5 AND 6 HOURS FOR EACH FLIGHT. HE ALSO STATED THAT THERE HAD BEEN NO PREVIOUS MECHANICAL DISCREPANCIES WITH THE AIRPLANE.                                                                              (-23) WHEN RETURNING TO WMC THE ENGINE QUIT 1 MILE NORTH NORTH EAST OF THE AIRPORT. ALTERNATE AIR APPLIED AND FUEL SELECTOR MOVED TO DIFFERENT POSITION (PILOT STATEMENT) AND THE ENGINE STARTED RUNNING THEN QUIT AGAIN. A FORCED LANDING WAS INITIATED IN A FIELD AND THE AIRCRAFT CAME TO REST INVERTED AFTER IMPACTING SOME BRUSH AND DIRT MOUND.

## 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 LAX02TA105](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX02TA105), Mar 8, 2002: Piper PA-18-150 (N742), Winnemucca, NV, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's inadequate fuel consumption calculations that lead to fuel exhaustion.

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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