20040611011819A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Piper PA-38-112 · Jerome, ID · June 11, 2004

Date: June 11, 2004 · 17:30 local
Place: Jerome, ID
Phase of flight: Fcd/Prec Ldg From Cruise
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N2579N
NTSB investigation: NTSBSEA04LA104
Reported as: Piper PA38112
People aboard: 2
Fatal injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 167 total140 in this make and model20 in the last 90 days

N2579NRegistration cancelled Jul 29, 2013 · Piper PA-38-112S/N 38-79A0928 · Built 1979 Airframe modelPiper PA-38-112 Engine modelLycoming 0-235 series4 cycle

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) Pilot landed N2579N, a PA-38 in a soft potato field as a result of fuel exhaustion. According to the pilot, he attempted to keep the nose off of the ground after landing as long as possible. Since the field was very soft, the nose gear stuck into the ground, and the aircraft subsequently "nosed-over". The aircraft sustained substantial damage to the fuselage, leading edge of the port wingtip and root, and horizontal and vertical stabilizers. Pilot admits that he failed to refuel the aircraft after subsequent local scenic flights.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) PILOT LANDED N2579N, A PA-38 IN A SOFT POTATO FIELD AS A RESULT OF FUEL EXHAUSTION. ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, HE ATTEMPTED TO KEEP THE NOSE OFF OF THE GROUND AFTER LANDING AS LONG AS POSSIBLE. SINCE THE FIELD WAS VERY SOFT, THE NOSE GEAR STUCK INTO THE GROUND, AND THE AIRCRAFT SUBSEQUENTLY "NOSED-OVER". THE AIRCRAFT SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE FUSELAGE, LEADING EDGE OF THE PORT WINGTIP AND ROOT, AND HORIZONTAL AND VERTICAL STABILIZERS. PILOT ADMITS THAT HE FAILED TO REFUEL THE AIRCRAFT AFTER SUBSEQUENT LOCAL SCENIC FLIGHTS.

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 SEA04LA104Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportJerome, IDThe pilot's failure to refuel the airplane resulting in fuel exhaustion and the loss of power during descent for landing. Factors contributing to the accident were the soft terrain and the forced landing site.Jun 11, 2004 · Substantial damage