20180929016509A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Piper PA-24-250 · Crewe, VA · September 29, 2018

Date: September 29, 2018 · 16:00 local
Place: Crewe, VA
Airport: Crewe Municipal Airport
Phase of flight: Landing: Approach
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N6148P
NTSB investigation: NTSBGAA18CA574
Reported as: Piper PA-24-250
Reported engine: Lycoming 0-540 series
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 0
Pilot’s certificate: Private pilot
Pilot’s flight hours: 448 total157 in this make and model21 in the last 90 days

N6148PRegistration cancelled Jun 29, 2019 · Piper PA-24-250S/N 24-1249 · Built 1959 Airframe modelPiper PA-24-250 Engine modelLycoming 0-540 seriesReciprocating

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.

Pilot states that he landed at Crewe airport, W-81 and attempted to get fuel. Since the fuel pumps were locked, he attempted to fly to farmville airport (approx 19 miles away). Once in the air, he was notified that the airport was closed for construction. He then decided to return to W-81. Pilot states that on downwind for runway 33, he lost engine power. He then switched fuel tanks and attempted to restart without success.

As he turned base, he felt as if he were too low and headed straight for the end of the runway. The aircraft then stalled and landed hard on runway 33. The aircraft skidded for about 300 feet and departed the right side of the runway into the grass.

Substantial damage to the left wing caused by the left main landing gear during impact.

Examination of the left wing showed the left wing tank completely empty.

Caurburetor fuel bowl drain plug was removed and also had no fuel.

There was still a few gallons of fuel in the right tank. Exact quantity unkown.

As the FAA filed it

PILOT STATES THAT HE LANDED AT CREWE AIRPORT, W-81 AND ATTEMPTED TO GET FUEL. SINCE THE FUEL PUMPS WERE LOCKED, HE ATTEMPTED TO FLY TO FARMVILLE AIRPORT (APPROX 19 MILES AWAY). ONCE IN THE AIR, HE WAS NOTIFIED THAT THE AIRPORT WAS CLOSED FOR CONSTRUCTION. HE THEN DECIDED TO RETURN TO W-81. PILOT STATES THAT ON DOWNWIND FOR RUNWAY 33, HE LOST ENGINE POWER. HE THEN SWITCHED FUEL TANKS AND ATTEMPTED TO RESTART WITHOUT SUCCESS.

AS HE TURNED BASE, HE FELT AS IF HE WERE TOO LOW AND HEADED STRAIGHT FOR THE END OF THE RUNWAY. THE AIRCRAFT THEN STALLED AND LANDED HARD ON RUNWAY 33. THE AIRCRAFT SKIDDED FOR ABOUT 300 FEET AND DEPARTED THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE RUNWAY INTO THE GRASS.

SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE LEFT WING CAUSED BY THE LEFT MAIN LANDING GEAR DURING IMPACT.

EXAMINATION OF THE LEFT WING SHOWED THE LEFT WING TANK COMPLETELY EMPTY.

CAURBURETOR FUEL BOWL DRAIN PLUG WAS REMOVED AND ALSO HAD NO FUEL.

THERE WAS STILL A FEW GALLONS OF FUEL IN THE RIGHT TANK. EXACT QUANTITY UNKOWN.

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 GAA18CA574Accident · No injuriesData collectionFinal reportCrewe, VAThe pilot’s failure to maintain adequate airspeed and his exceedance of the airplane’s critical angle of attack, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s improper fuel management, which resulted in fuel starvation…Sep 29, 2018 · Substantial damage