20040710012939A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Piper PA-28-161 · Tallassee, AL · July 10, 2004

Date: July 10, 2004 · 01:00 local
Place: Tallassee, AL
Phase of flight: Fcd/Prec Ldg From Cruise
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N6AU
NTSB investigation: NTSBATL04CA149
Reported as: Piper PA28161
Reported engine: Lycoming O320*
Fatal injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 160 total40 in this make and model3 in the last 90 days

N6AURegistration cancelled Aug 20, 2013 · Piper PA-28-161S/N 28-7816212 · Built 1977 Airframe modelPiper PA-28-161 Engine modelLycoming 0-320 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) While on a night pleasure flight pilot failed to manage aircraft fuel supply allowing fuel starvation to the engine. Left tank found totally empty, right tank 1/2 full and fuel selector on left tank. Engine quit and aircraft made forced landing in cotton field three miles south of Tallassee, Alabama. Pilot has no clear memory of events leading up to accident. Aircraft sustained substantial damage with minor injuries to the pilot.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) WHILE ON A NIGHT PLEASURE FLIGHT PILOT FAILED TO MANAGE AIRCRAFT FUEL SUPPLY ALLOWING FUEL STARVATION TO THE ENGINE. LEFT TANK FOUND TOTALLY EMPTY, RIGHT TANK 1/2 FULL AND FUEL SELECTOR ON LEFT TANK. ENGINE QUIT AND AIRCRAFT MADE FORCED LANDING IN COTTON FIELD THREE MILES SOUTH OF TALLASSEE, ALABAMA. PILOT HAS NO CLEAR MEMORY OF EVENTS LEADING UP TO ACCIDENT. AIRCRAFT SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE WITH MINOR INJURIES TO THE PILOT.

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 ATL04CA149Accident · Minor injuriesData collectionFinal reportTallassee, ALThe pilot's mismanagement of the fuel supply, which resulted in fuel starvation and the subsequent loss of engine power. A factor was pilot fatigue and the unauthorized use of the airplane .Jul 10, 2004 · Substantial damage