20081024851889A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Piper PA-32R-300 · Wasilla, AK · October 24, 2008

Date: October 24, 2008 · 18:15 local
Place: Wasilla, AK
Airport: South Hollywood
Phase of flight: Takeoff
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N1392H
NTSB investigation: NTSBANC09LA007
Reported as: Piper PA32R300
Reported engine: Lycoming IO540K1G5D
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 6,879 total2,700 in this make and model330 in the last 90 days

N1392HRegistration cancelled Aug 23, 2013 · Piper PA-32R-300S/N 32R-7780156 Airframe modelPiper PA-32R-300

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) After speaking with pilot found that there was only 3 gal of fuel in l/h fuel tank. Due to attitude of aircraft and lack of fuel it is possible that the engine was starved of fuel. Since the pilot was commited to takeoff, the switching of fuel tanks during t/o was not sufficient enough to rectify the problem.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) AFTER SPEAKING WITH PILOT FOUND THAT THERE WAS ONLY 3 GAL OF FUEL IN L/H FUEL TANK. DUE TO ATTITUDE OF AIRCRAFT AND LACK OF FUEL IT IS POSSIBLE THAT THE ENGINE WAS STARVED OF FUEL. SINCE THE PILOT WAS COMMITED TO TAKEOFF, THE SWITCHING OF FUEL TANKS DURING T/O WAS NOT SUFFICIENT ENOUGH TO RECTIFY THE PROBLEM.

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 ANC09LA007Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportWasilla, AKA loss of engine power in flight due to fuel starvation as a result of the pilot's inadequate fuel management.Oct 24, 2008 · Substantial damage