# Accident 20091013022149A: Piper PA28140, Meadville, PA, October 13, 2009 - Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported - Date: October 13, 2009, 09:52 local time - Place: Meadville, PA - Damage: Substantial damage - Phase of flight: Descent - Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91) - Location: 41.6336° N, 80.1556° W: From the FAA - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=41.6336&lon=-80.1556&mi=10 - Aircraft: N8886E, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N8886E-2012-11-15) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry model: Piper PA-28-140 (registry code 7102802, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-28-140) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: Lycoming 0-320 series (registry code 41508, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: PIPER PA28140 - Reported engine: LYC O320* - People aboard: 1 - Fatal injuries: 0 - Other injuries: 0 - Pilot flight hours: 1,802 total, 1,731 in this make and model, 27 in the last 90 days - NTSB investigation: [NTSB ERA10CA016](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA10CA016) (OpenAirDocs) - FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/) - Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20091013022149A ## Narrative As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. MR. HOHN THOMAS BOULEY, FAA PRIVATE PILOT CERTIFICATE #2713560, WAS OPERATING A PIPER PA-24-140 AIRCRAFT ON AN IFR FLIGHT PLAN FROM ELLINGTON, CT &7B9) TO MEADVILLE, PA (GKJ). THE IFR FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED FOR 5 HOURS ENROUTE WITH AN IAS OF 90 KTS. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE HAD 50 GALLONS OF FUEL ONBOARD THE AIRCRAFT WHICH SHOULD HAVE GIVEN HIM 6 HOURS OF ENDURANCE FOR A FUEL BURN RATE OF 8.3 GALLONS PER HOUR (QUESTIONABLE). AFTER BEING AIRBORNE FOR 5 HOURS AND 21 MINUTES AND 2.5 MILES FROM THE AIRPORT AT AN ALTITUDE OF 3200 FEET, THE ENGINE QUIT. THE PILOT STATED HE TRIED TO RESTART THE ENGINE, BUT THE ENGINE WOULD NOT START. ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ A WITNESS TO THIS ACCIDENT, STATED HE DID NOT HEAR OR SEE THE PROPELLER TURNING WHEN THE AIRPLANE HIT THE TREES. AS THE AIRCRAFT WAS DESCENDING WITHOUT POWER ON A HEADING BETWEEN 070°-090°, THE RIGHT WING COLLIDED WITH A TREE APPROXIMATELY 60 FEET ABOVE THE GROUND CAUSING THE AIRCRAFT TO TWIST AND PITCH NOSE DOWN VERTICALLY STRIKING THE GROUND WITH THE PROPELLER AND ENGINE ABSORBING THE IMPACT OF THE CRASH. AFTER THE IMPACT WITH THE GROUND, THE AIRCRAFT FELL OVER ON THE MAIN LANDING GEAR CAUSING 3-4 INCHES DEPRESSION IN THE SOIL FROM THE TIRES OF THE MAIN LANDING GEAR HITTING THE GROUND. THE AIRCRAFT WAS HEADING 340° WHEN IT FINALLY CAME TO REST. THE OUTBOARD SIDE OF THE RIGHT WING WAS REIPPED AND TORN FROM THE COLLISION WITH THE TREE. THERE ARE A FEW PUNCTURE MARKS UNDER THE RIGHT WING NEAR THE MAIN LANDING GEAR ATTACHMENT POINTS; THESE WERE CAUSED FROM BRANCHES OF THE TREE. THE NOSE AND CABIN OF THE AIRCRAFT WERE CRUSHED, AND ALL OF THE PLEXIGLASS IN THE WINDOWS WAS SHATTERED. THE LEFT WING, AFT FUSELAGE, VERTICAL FAIN, AND ELEVATOR STABILZYOR SUSTAINED NO VISIBLE DAMAGE. AFTER THE CRASH, THE PILOT EXITED THE AIRACRAFT AND WAS TREATED BY PARAMEDICS AT THE SCENE AND TAKEN TO THE MEADVILLE HOSPITAL BY AMBULANCE WHERE HE WAS TREATED FOR MINOR INJURES AND RELEASED.. OUR INSPECTIO OF THE WRECKAGE REVEALED NO SMELL OF SIGNS OF FUEL LEAKAGE AT THE SITE. ALL FLIGHT, ENGINE, AND FUEL CONTROLS WERE CHECKED FOR CONTINUITY AND APPEARED TO BE WORKING NORMALLY WITH NO VISIBLE DEFECTS. THE MAIN LANDING GEAR WHEELS WERE INSPECTED AND APPEARED NORMAL WITH NO VISIBLE DEFECTS. THE FUEL TANKS WERE DIP-STICK TESTED FOR FUEL; THE LEFT AND RIGHT TANKS WERE BONE DRY AND EMPTY. THE FUEL BOWL ASSEMBLY WAS REMOVED AND INDICAATED LESS THAN A TEASPOON OF FUEL. THE FULE LINES WERE ALSO CHECKED AND WERE DRY WITHOUT ANY FUEL IN THE LINES. THE PROPELLER HAS NO MARKS OF ROTATION, AND IT APPEARS THE ENGINE WAS NOT RUNNING. THE PROPELLER WAS PULLED THROUGH, AND YOU COULD HEAR THE MAGNETOS CRACK OR POP. A FEW SPARK PLUGS WERE PULLED AND THEY APPEARED NORMAL. THE PILOT STATED HE WILL VOLUNTARILY SURRENDER HIS PILOT CERTIFICATE UNTIL HE IS REEAMINED IN ACCORDANCE WITH TITLE 49 CFR 44709. ## 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 ERA10CA016](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA10CA016), Oct 13, 2009: Piper PA28 (N8886E), Meadville, PA, substantial damage. Probable cause: A loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion as a result of the pilot's inadequate fuel planning. 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. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.