20060516011579I

Incident · Minor damage

FAA incident report · Piper PA-24-250 · Lake Elsinore, CA · May 16, 2006

Date: May 16, 2006 · 14:20 local
Place: Lake Elsinore, CA
Phase of flight: Normal Cruise
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Minor damage
Aircraft: N6484P
Reported as: Piper PA24250
Reported engine: Lycoming O540*
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 400 total60 in this make and model5 in the last 90 days

N6484PRegistration cancelled Dec 31, 2022 · Piper PA-24-250S/N 24-1602 · Built 1959 Airframe modelPiper PA-24-250 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) Pilot stated that approximately 30 minutes after takeoff his engine abruptly quit. He immediately looked for a safe place to land and accomplished this with minor damage to aircraft. He also stated that when he preflighted his aircraft he checked his remaining fuel. He felt there was approximately 6 gallons in each tank. When the engine quit, he chose to land immediately. During the investigation it appeared one fuel tank was empty but the other tank had fuel remaining.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) PILOT STATED THAT APPROXIMATELY 30 MINUTES AFTER TAKEOFF HIS ENGINE ABRUPTLY QUIT. HE IMMEDIATELY LOOKED FOR A SAFE PLACE TO LAND AND ACCOMPLISHED THIS WITH MINOR DAMAGE TO AIRCRAFT. HE ALSO STATED THAT WHEN HE PREFLIGHTED HIS AIRCRAFT HE CHECKED HIS REMAINING FUEL. HE FELT THERE WAS APPROXIMATELY 6 GALLONS IN EACH TANK. WHEN THE ENGINE QUIT, HE CHOSE TO LAND IMMEDIATELY. DURING THE INVESTIGATION IT APPEARED ONE FUEL TANK WAS EMPTY BUT THE OTHER TANK HAD FUEL REMAINING.