# Accident 20071008823809A: Piper PA28151, Festus, MO, October 8, 2007

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: October 8, 2007, 06:15 local time
- Place: Festus, MO
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: Forced Landing
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 38.2022° N, 90.3867° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=38.2022&lon=-90.3867&mi=10
- Aircraft: N43246, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N43246-2012-11-21) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Piper PA-28-151 (registry code 7102805, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-28-151) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming 0-320 series (registry code 41508, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA28151
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 1
- Pilot flight hours: 241 total, 117 in this make and model, 41 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB CHI08LA006](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI08LA006) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20071008823809A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

(-23) ON OCTOBER 8, 2007 AT APPROXIMATELY 05:45 HRS (LOCAL) THE PILOT ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ DEPARTED THE WILLIAMS COUNTY AIRPORT (KMWA) FOR A PERSONAL FLIGHT TO THE FESTUS MEMORIAL AIRPORT (KFES). HE WAS SCHEDULED TO ARRIVE AT APPROXIMATELY 06:15 HRS (LOCAL). AT APPROXIMATELY 07:30 HRS (LOCAL), ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ LOCATED THE PILOT'S ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ AIRPLANE (N43246) IN A WOODED TREE LINE ADJACENT TO A PRIVATE ROADWAY. UPON APPROACHING THE AIRPLANE HE OBSERVED A PILOT STILL SEATED IN THE PILOT'S SEAT WITH EXTENSIVE INJURIES AND IMMEDIATELY CONTACTED EMERGENCY SERVICES. THE AIRCRAFT WAS RESTING ON A HILLSIDE WITHIN TREES WITH THE NOSE FACING A HEADING OF 175 DEGREES. BOTH WINGS WERE SEPARATED FROM THE AIRFRAME AND THE ROOF OF THE AIRPLANE HAD BEEN PEELED BACK APPARENTLY FROM THE IMPACT. THE RIGHT WING WAS LOCATED TO THE IMMEDIATE RIGHT OF THE FUSELAGE AND HAD SUSTAINED IMPACT DAMAGE TO ITS LEADING EDGE FROM THE TREES. THE LEFT WING WAS LOCATED APPROXIMATELY 30 FEET TO THE RIGHT OF THE FUSELAGE FACING AWAY FROM THE NOSE OF THE AIRCRAFT. THE RIGHT WING HAD ALSO SUSTAINED DAMAGE TO ITS LEADING EDGE FROM THE IMPACT WITH THE TREES. THE LEFT FUEL TANK DID NOT CONTAIN ANY DISCERNABLE REMNANTS OF FUEL. THE RIGHT FUEL TANK CONTAINED VISIBLE FUEL AND WAS DRAINED BY THE RECOVERY CREW (THE AMOUNT WAS DETERMINED TO BE APPROXIMATELY ONE QUART OF WHICH 3/4 WAS FUEL AND 1/4 TESTED POSITIVE FOR WATER). APPROXIMATELY 1/2 OUNCE OF WATER WAS DRAINED FROM THE GASCOLATOR. THE FUEL SELECTOR WAS ON THE RIGHT TANK. ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ (WIFE OF THE PILOT) STATED THAT SHE HAD ACCOMPANIED THE PILOT ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ ON A PERSONAL FLIGHT TO PINKNEYVILLE, IL (KPJY) WHERE HE TOPPED OFF BOTH FUEL TANKS. I CONFIRMED THIS WITH THE SPARTA AIR CENTER WHICH OPERATES THE SELF-FUELING FACILITY AT PINKNEYVILLE. PER THE FUELING RECEIPTS, THE PILOT ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ OBTAINED 27.3 GALLONS. ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ ADVISED THAT THE PILOT ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ HAD TAKEN THREE ADDITIONAL FLIGHTS BETWEEN THE TIME OF THIS REFUELING AND THE ACCIDENT FOR AN UNKNOWN AMOUNT OF TIME. ON OCTOBER 24, 2007 THE PILOT ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ EXPIRED APPARENTLY AS A RESULT OF THE INJURIES SUSTAINED IN THIS ACCIDENT. ON OCTOBER 25, 2007 INSPECTORS FROM THE ST. LOUIS FLIGHT STANDARDS DISTRICT OFFICE TRAVELED TO THE SALVAGE RECOVERY CENTER AND MET WITH REPRESENTATIVES FROM LYCOMING AND PIPER AIRCRAFT. ON THIS DATE, THE AIRCRAFT ENGINE WAS RUN ON AN ENGINE STAND AND ALL CONCERNED BELIEVED THAT IT PRODUCED SUFFICIENT POWER TO SUSTAIN POWERED FLIGHT.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB CHI08LA006](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI08LA006), Oct 8, 2007: Piper PA-28-151 (N43246), Festus, MO, substantial damage, 1 fatal. Probable cause: The pilot's inadequate aircraft preflight, fuel system water contamination and fuel starvation which resulted in a loss of engine power during landing approach. An additional cause was the emergency…

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft 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. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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