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20020616012519A

Accident · No damage
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FAA accident report · Piper PA28R200 · Bethlehem, GA · June 16, 2002

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

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Date
June 16, 2002 · 15:45 local
Place
Bethlehem, GA
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage
No damage
Aircraft
N15143
NTSB investigation
NTSBATL02LA123
Reported as
Piper PA28R200

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.

(-23) PIC experienced engine problems while performing ground reference maneuvers and made an emergency landing in an open field. The engine backfired, but evidence it was running on impact. The aircraft sustained structural damage to the left wing, just outboard of the left fuel tank. The PIC told an on-site witness he was feeding the engine from the right fuel tank when the engine begins losing power. He switched to the left tank and engaged the electric fuel pump to no avail. Additional damage includes the nose landing gear completely severed, the left main landing gear collapsed, and other minor structural damage. There were two people on board and no injuries reported. The PIC stated he found fuel level at the "tab" in each tank during his preflight. This would be approximately 17 gallons in each tank or 34 gallons total. At the landing site, it was reported 5.5 gallons of fuel was drained from the right fuel tank and 3.5 gallons from the left. (See attached for complete narrative).

As the FAA filed it

(-23) PIC EXPERIENCED ENGINE PROBLEMS WHILE PERFORMING GROUND REFERENCE MANEUVERS AND MADE AN EMERGENCY LANDING IN AN OPEN FIELD. THE ENGINE BACKFIRED, BUT EVIDENCE IT WAS RUNNING ON IMPACT. THE AIRCRAFT SUSTAINED STRUCTURAL DAMAGE TO THE LEFT WING, JUST OUTBOARD OF THE LEFT FUEL TANK. THE PIC TOLD AN ON-SITE WITNESS HE WAS FEEDING THE ENGINE FROM THE RIGHT FUEL TANK WHEN THE ENGINE BEGINS LOSING POWER. HE SWITCHED TO THE LEFT TANK AND ENGAGED THE ELECTRIC FUEL PUMP TO NO AVAIL. ADDITIONAL DAMAGE INCLUDES THE NOSE LANDING GEAR COMPLETELY SEVERED, THE LEFT MAIN LANDING GEAR COLLAPSED, AND OTHER MINOR STRUCTURAL DAMAGE. THERE WERE TWO PEOPLE ON BOARD AND NO INJURIES REPORTED. THE PIC STATED HE FOUND FUEL LEVEL AT THE "TAB" IN EACH TANK DURING HIS PREFLIGHT. THIS WOULD BE APPROXIMATELY 17 GALLONS IN EACH TANK OR 34 GALLONS TOTAL. AT THE LANDING SITE, IT WAS REPORTED 5.5 GALLONS OF FUEL WAS DRAINED FROM THE RIGHT FUEL TANK AND 3.5 GALLONS FROM THE LEFT. (SEE ATTACHED FOR COMPLETE NARRATIVE).

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 ATL02LA123Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportBethlehem, GAThe pilot's failure to follow operational procedures for the airplane, which resulted in a loss of engine power due to fuel starvation/fuel flow interruption. A factor was the lack of suitable terrain, resulting in a collision with an irrigation sprinkler…Jun 16, 2002 · Substantial damage