20040522010249A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Piper PA-25-235 · Flager, CO · May 22, 2004

Date: May 22, 2004 · 10:30 local
Place: Flager, CO
Phase of flight: Fcd/Prec Ldg From Cruise
Operating rules: Agricultural (Part 137)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N8586L
NTSB investigation: NTSBDEN04CA073
Reported as: Piper PA25235
Reported engine: Lycoming O540*
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 7,000 total100 in this make and model8 in the last 90 days

N8586LRegistration cancelled Sep 8, 2006 · Piper PA-25-235S/N 25-5010 · Built 1969 Airframe modelPiper PA-25-235 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 the morning of 22 may 2004, pilot ronald seelhoff, was conducting an aerial spraying operation 15 miles south of flagler Colorado. Mr. Seelhoff had conducted 5 previous spray sorties that morning without incident. On the sixth spray run, while pulling up out of the field at about 300' AGL, the engine quit. Mr. Seelhoff stated he leveled the wings, put the nose down, selected an area to land, and attempted to flare just before landing but the nose of the aircraft failed to come up prior to hitting the ground. The aircraft sustained substantial damage to the right wing, right landing gear assembly, and propeller. In the course of a phone interview with Mr. Seelhoff he stated that he had fueled the aircraft after the third sortie that morning and was planning to refuel again after the sixth sortie. Mr. Seelhoff also stated that the fuel sight glass gauge on the nose of the aircraft was indicating about 10 gallons remaining in the tank at the time of the accident.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) ON THE MORNING OF 22 MAY 2004, PILOT RONALD SEELHOFF, WAS CONDUCTING AN AERIAL SPRAYING OPERATION 15 MILES SOUTH OF FLAGLER COLORADO. MR. SEELHOFF HAD CONDUCTED 5 PREVIOUS SPRAY SORTIES THAT MORNING WITHOUT INCIDENT. ON THE SIXTH SPRAY RUN, WHILE PULLING UP OUT OF THE FIELD AT ABOUT 300' AGL, THE ENGINE QUIT. MR. SEELHOFF STATED HE LEVELED THE WINGS, PUT THE NOSE DOWN, SELECTED AN AREA TO LAND, AND ATTEMPTED TO FLARE JUST BEFORE LANDING BUT THE NOSE OF THE AIRCRAFT FAILED TO COME UP PRIOR TO HITTING THE GROUND. THE AIRCRAFT SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE RIGHT WING, RIGHT LANDING GEAR ASSEMBLY, AND PROPELLER. IN THE COURSE OF A PHONE INTERVIEW WITH MR. SEELHOFF HE STATED THAT HE HAD FUELED THE AIRCRAFT AFTER THE THIRD SORTIE THAT MORNING AND WAS PLANNING TO REFUEL AGAIN AFTER THE SIXTH SORTIE. MR. SEELHOFF ALSO STATED THAT THE FUEL SIGHT GLASS GAUGE ON THE NOSE OF THE AIRCRAFT WAS INDICATING ABOUT 10 GALLONS REMAINING IN THE TANK AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT.

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 DEN04CA073Accident · No injuriesData collectionFinal reportFlagler, COthe pilot's improper in-flight planning/decision which led to fuel exhaustion and subsequent loss of engine power. Factors contributing to the accident were the low altitude, low airspeed, and the inoperative fuel quantity gauge.May 22, 2004 · Substantial damage

Other reports on N8586L · 2

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

Accident 19810402015909AForced/Precautionary Landing · Norton, KSEngine quit on takeoff climb. Tried to return. Crash-landed short of runway. Cause engine out unknown.Apr 2, 1981 · Substantial damage Accident 19730802023069ALow Level Operations · Goshen, IDAug 2, 1973 · Destroyed