# Accident 20030314004979A: Piper PA24250, Belen, NM, March 14, 2003

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: March 14, 2003, 07:30 local time
- Place: Belen, NM
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Fcd/Prec Ldg From Cruise
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 34.6453° N, 106.8336° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=34.6453&lon=-106.8336&mi=10
- Aircraft: N6960P, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N6960P-2006-04-21) (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
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB DEN03LA049](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DEN03LA049) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20030314004979A

## Narrative

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

(-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.

## 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 DEN03LA049](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DEN03LA049), Mar 14, 2003: Piper PA-24-250 (N6960P), Belen, NM, substantial damage. Probable cause: the 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…

## Other reports on N6960P (1)

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

- [Incident 20000122001129I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20000122001129I), Jan 22, 2000: Piper PA24250 (N6960P), Waco, TX, Minor damage. (-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…

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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