20030314004979A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Piper PA-24-250 · Belen, NM · March 14, 2003

Date: March 14, 2003 · 07:30 local
Place: Belen, NM
Phase of flight: Fcd/Prec Ldg From Cruise
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N6960P
NTSB investigation: NTSBDEN03LA049
Reported as: Piper PA24250
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 0

N6960PRegistration cancelled Apr 21, 2006 · Piper PA-24-250S/N 24-2098 · Built 1960 Airframe modelPiper PA-24-250 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) On 03/14/2003 at approx 0730 MST, a Piper PA-24-250, N6960P, owned and operated by the pilot, was substantially damaged when it impacted terrain during a forced landing near alexander municipal airport (E80) Belen, NM. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed. No flight plan had been filed for this personal cross-country flight being conducted under 14 CFR part 91. The flight originated at tucson, AZ, at approx. 0530 MST. The pilot stated that approx 90 minutes into the flight he switched the fuel selector from the right wing to the left wing. Approx 30 minutes later, the engine lost power. Attempts to restart the engine were unsuccessful even though approx 60 gallons of fuel remained onboard. All fuel tanks except the right main contained fuel. The pilot was forced to land in a field east-northeast of the airport. The aircraft was substantially damaged.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) ON 03/14/2003 AT APPROX 0730 MST, A PIPER PA-24-250, N6960P, OWNED AND OPERATED BY THE PILOT, WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED WHEN IT IMPACTED TERRAIN DURING A FORCED LANDING NEAR ALEXANDER MUNICIPAL AIRPORT (E80) BELEN, NM. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED. NO FLIGHT PLAN HAD BEEN FILED FOR THIS PERSONAL CROSS-COUNTRY FLIGHT BEING CONDUCTED UNDER 14 CFR PART 91. THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED AT TUCSON, AZ, AT APPROX. 0530 MST. THE PILOT STATED THAT APPROX 90 MINUTES INTO THE FLIGHT HE SWITCHED THE FUEL SELECTOR FROM THE RIGHT WING TO THE LEFT WING. APPROX 30 MINUTES LATER, THE ENGINE LOST POWER. ATTEMPTS TO RESTART THE ENGINE WERE UNSUCCESSFUL EVEN THOUGH APPROX 60 GALLONS OF FUEL REMAINED ONBOARD. ALL FUEL TANKS EXCEPT THE RIGHT MAIN CONTAINED FUEL. THE PILOT WAS FORCED TO LAND IN A FIELD EAST-NORTHEAST OF THE AIRPORT. THE AIRCRAFT WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED.

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 DEN03LA049Accident · Serious injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportBelen, NMthe pilot's improper preflight/in-flight decision making which resulted in the loss of engine power due to fuel starvation. Contributing factors include, the partial fuel selector valve failure, the pilot's intentional operation with known deficiencies in…Mar 14, 2003 · Substantial damage

Other reports on N6960P · 1

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

Incident 20000122001129ILevel Off Touchdown · Waco, TX(-23) Pilot departed act, raised the landing gear and received no light indications that his gear retracted. He asked the tower, and they confirmed the gear was up. He then proceeded to jennings, LA, when he attempted to lower the gear he received no light…Jan 22, 2000 · Minor damage