20060128000899A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Piper PA-32R-300 · Camden, AL · January 28, 2006

Date: January 28, 2006 · 13:39 local
Place: Camden, AL
Airport: Camden Municipal Airport
Phase of flight: Final Approach
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N38510
NTSB investigation: NTSBATL06FA038
Reported as: Piper PA32R300
Reported engine: Lycoming IO540*
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 1
Pilot’s flight hours: 2,337 total

N38510Registration cancelled Jan 25, 2008 · Piper PA-32R-300S/N 32R-7780436 · Built 1977 Airframe modelPiper PA-32R-300 Engine modelLycoming IO-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) Apparently exhausted fuel in right fuel cell and was unable to restart engine after switching to left fuel cell. Left fuel cell contained a substantial amount of fuel, and selector valve was in the left position. There was no fuel in the fuel flow divider assembly, a few drops in the fuel line, and approximately 1/2 ounce in the fuel pump. The engine started and ran after minor repair to the wiring harness, and accessory crash damage.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) APPARENTLY EXHAUSTED FUEL IN RIGHT FUEL CELL AND WAS UNABLE TO RESTART ENGINE AFTER SWITCHING TO LEFT FUEL CELL. LEFT FUEL CELL CONTAINED A SUBSTANTIAL AMOUNT OF FUEL, AND SELECTOR VALVE WAS IN THE LEFT POSITION. THERE WAS NO FUEL IN THE FUEL FLOW DIVIDER ASSEMBLY, A FEW DROPS IN THE FUEL LINE, AND APPROXIMATELY 1/2 OUNCE IN THE FUEL PUMP. THE ENGINE STARTED AND RAN AFTER MINOR REPAIR TO THE WIRING HARNESS, AND ACCESSORY CRASH DAMAGE.

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 ATL06FA038Accident · 1 fatalField investigationFinal reportCamden, ALThe pilots failure to maintain altitude and clearance during a visual descent which resulting in an in-flight collision with trees and the ground for undetermined reasons.Jan 28, 2006 · Destroyed