20150204000819A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Piper PA-18-150 · Gladys, VA · February 4, 2015

Date: February 4, 2015 · 16:44 local
Place: Gladys, VA
Phase of flight: Cruise/Level Flight
Operating rules: Pilot school (Part 141)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N619GB
NTSB investigation: NTSBERA15CA120
Reported as: Piper PA-18-150
Reported engine: Lycoming 0-320 series
People aboard: 2
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 1
Pilot’s certificates: Commercial pilot, flight instructor
Pilot’s flight hours: 5,130 total110 in this make and model50 in the last 90 days

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.

After taking off from brookneal airport (0V4), and while returning to lynchburg (lyh) at about 1,000 ft AGL, the engine started surging. Pilot selected a suitable field to land, but as the engine started producing power again, the pilot elected to return to brookneal 4 miles away. As the engine stopped again and with no altitude left, the aircraft crashed into the trees. A post-accident investigation revealed that the engine stopped due to fuel exhaustion

As the FAA filed it

AFTER TAKING OFF FROM BROOKNEAL AIRPORT (0V4), AND WHILE RETURNING TO LYNCHBURG (LYH) AT ABOUT 1,000 FT AGL, THE ENGINE STARTED SURGING. PILOT SELECTED A SUITABLE FIELD TO LAND, BUT AS THE ENGINE STARTED PRODUCING POWER AGAIN, THE PILOT ELECTED TO RETURN TO BROOKNEAL 4 MILES AWAY. AS THE ENGINE STOPPED AGAIN AND WITH NO ALTITUDE LEFT, THE AIRCRAFT CRASHED INTO THE TREES. A POST-ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE ENGINE STOPPED DUE TO FUEL EXHAUSTION

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 ERA15CA120Accident · Minor injuriesData collectionFinal reportBrookneal, VAThe flight instructor and pilot-rated student's inadequate preflight inspection, which resulted in a total loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion.Feb 4, 2015 · Substantial damage