# Accident 20161108022769A: Piper PA-24-250, Houlton, ME, November 8, 2016

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: November 8, 2016, 16:15 local time
- Place: Houlton, ME
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Landing: Approach
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 46.1153° N, 67.8008° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=46.1153&lon=-67.8008&mi=10
- Aircraft: N7682P, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N7682P-2020-05-02) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Piper PA-24-250 (registry code 7102404, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-24-250) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming 0-540 series (registry code 41532, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-540-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA-24-250
- Reported engine: LYCOMING 0-540 SERIES
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Private pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 312 total
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB ERA17CA039](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA17CA039) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20161108022769A

## Narrative

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

THE PILOT STATED THE AIRCRAFT WAS FUELED AT THE FBO PRIOR TO THE FLIGHT WITH 30 GALLONS IN EACH INBOARD FUEL TANK AND APPROXIMATELY 8 GALLONS IN EACH OUTBOARD TANK.  THE PILOT SELECTED THE LEFT INBOARD TANK AND FLEW FOR APPROXIMATELY ONE HOUR AND FIFTEEN MINUTES.  ON THE BASE LEG TO RUNWAY 5, PREPARING FOR LANDING, THE ENGINE STOPPED RUNNING.  THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED THE GROUND WITH LANDING GEAR EXTENDED APPROXIMATELY 1200 FEET FROM THE END OF RUNWAY 5.  THE LANDING GEAR COLLAPSED UPON IMPACT WITH THE NOSE GEAR SEPARATING FROM THE AIRFRAME.  THE AIRCRAFT SKIDDED THOUGH SMALL TREES, 4 FOOT GRASS, AND UNEVEN TERRAIN FOR APPROXIMATELY 100 FEET BEFORE COMING TO REST ON A WESTERLY HEADING.  THE COLLAPSE OF THE MAIN GEAR CAUSED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE UNDERSIDE OF BOTH WINGS.  POST CRASH INVESTIGATION REVEALED NO PRESENCE OF FUEL IN THE LEFT INBOARD TANK.  ALL OTHER TANKS WERE CHECKED.  THE INBOARD RIGHT TANK WAS FULL AND THERE WAS APPROXIMATELY 3 INCHES IN THE OUTBOARD LEFT TANK. THERE WAS NO READING ON THE OUTBOARD RIGHT TANK.  THE PILOT STATED THAT WHEN THE ENGINE STOPPED, THE FUEL GAUGE DISPLAYED EMPTY AND THE LEFT INBOARD TANK WAS SELECTED.

## 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 ERA17CA039](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA17CA039), Nov 8, 2016: Piper PA 24-250 (N7682P), Houlton, ME, substantial damage. Probable cause: A total loss of engine power due to fuel starvation, which resulted from the pilot’s mismanagement of the available fuel.

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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