# Accident 20030813028049A: Piper PA25235, Sparta, MI, August 13, 2003

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: August 13, 2003, 11:30 local time
- Place: Sparta, MI
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Low Level Operations
- Operating rules: Agricultural (Part 137)
- Location: 43.1619° N, 85.6583° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=43.1619&lon=-85.6583&mi=10
- Aircraft: N8563L, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N8563L-2007-01-30) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Piper PA-25-235 (registry code 7102504, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-25-235) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming 0-540 series (registry code 41532, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-540-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA25235
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 1
- Pilot flight hours: 351 total, 121 in this make and model, 97 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB CHI03LA263](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI03LA263) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20030813028049A

## Narrative

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

(-23) ONE WITNESS HEARD ENGINE STOP SUDDENLY, FOLLOWED BY SOUND OF AIRCRAFT HITTING THE GROUND. THIS WITNESS INDICATED THAT THE ENGINE SOUNDED NORMAL TO HIM, UNTIL THE ENGINE STOPPED SUDDENLY. ANOTHER WITNESS SAW THE AIRPLANE PULL UP STEEPLY AND THEN SPIRAL TOWARDS THE GROUND FOLLOWED BY AN IMPACT WITH THE GROUND. INVESTIGATION OF THE ACCIDENT SCENE SHOWED NO SIGNS OF AIRCRAFT FUEL. AIRCRAFT RECEIVED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE AND PILOT WAS DECEASED AT THE ACCIDENT SCENE. AIRCRAFT WRECKAGE WAS CONSISTENT WITH HIGH ANGLE OF IMPACT AND FUSELAGE ROTATIONAL FORCES AT THE TIME OF GROUND CONTACT. THE PILOT HAD PURCHASED AIRCRAFT ON 7-16-2003 AND DID NOT POSSESS AN AGRICULTURAL OPERATING CERTIFICATE.

## 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 CHI03LA263](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI03LA263), Aug 13, 2003: Piper PA-25-235 (N8563L), Sparta, MI, destroyed, 1 fatal. Probable cause: The loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion and the inadvertent stall/spin encountered. The inadequate fuel supply, airspeed not being maintained, low altitude, and terrain were factors to the…

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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