20020810031249A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Piper PA-32-260 · Victor, CO · August 10, 2002

Date: August 10, 2002 · 20:40 local
Place: Victor, CO
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N222SH
NTSB investigation: NTSBDEN02LA090
Reported as: Piper PA32260
Fatal injuries: 0

N222SHRegistration cancelled Sep 29, 2004 · Piper PA-32-260S/N 32266 · Built 1965 Airframe modelPiper PA-32-260 Engine modelLycoming 0-540 seriesReciprocating

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) The pilot departed laughlin, Nevada and was flying direct to Colorado springs, Colorado. While flying over the town of Victor, Colorado at approximately 11,000 feet, the pilot experienced a loss of engine power. He made an emergency landing near the intersection of county road 831 and 31 in Victor, Colorado at approximately 10,000 feet. The right wing was torn off and the fuselage damage was substantial. The pilot was seriously injured and the two passengers received minor injuries. Day visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed for the personal flight being conducted under title 14 CFR part 91. Results from the inspection of the aircraft's fuel tanks area as follows: tip tanks, approximately 5 gallons each side, left main wing 2 gallons (left wing was badly damaged), and the right wing was empty. During the inspection of the engine's carburetor and fuel lines, no fuel was present. The aircraft's fuel selector was in the right main position.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) THE PILOT DEPARTED LAUGHLIN, NEVADA AND WAS FLYING DIRECT TO COLORADO SPRINGS, COLORADO. WHILE FLYING OVER THE TOWN OF VICTOR, COLORADO AT APPROXIMATELY 11,000 FEET, THE PILOT EXPERIENCED A LOSS OF ENGINE POWER. HE MADE AN EMERGENCY LANDING NEAR THE INTERSECTION OF COUNTY ROAD 831 AND 31 IN VICTOR, COLORADO AT APPROXIMATELY 10,000 FEET. THE RIGHT WING WAS TORN OFF AND THE FUSELAGE DAMAGE WAS SUBSTANTIAL. THE PILOT WAS SERIOUSLY INJURED AND THE TWO PASSENGERS RECEIVED MINOR INJURIES. DAY VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED, AND NO FLIGHT PLAN HAD BEEN FILED FOR THE PERSONAL FLIGHT BEING CONDUCTED UNDER TITLE 14 CFR PART 91. RESULTS FROM THE INSPECTION OF THE AIRCRAFT'S FUEL TANKS AREA AS FOLLOWS: TIP TANKS, APPROXIMATELY 5 GALLONS EACH SIDE, LEFT MAIN WING 2 GALLONS (LEFT WING WAS BADLY DAMAGED), AND THE RIGHT WING WAS EMPTY. DURING THE INSPECTION OF THE ENGINE'S CARBURETOR AND FUEL LINES, NO FUEL WAS PRESENT. THE AIRCRAFT'S FUEL SELECTOR WAS IN THE RIGHT MAIN POSITION.

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 DEN02LA090Accident · Serious injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportVictor, COthe pilot's failure to refuel, resulting in fuel exhaustion and a subsequent loss of engine power. Contributing factors were the pilot's use of inappropriate medication, and the unsuitable terrain on which to make a forced landing.Aug 11, 2002 · Substantial damage