20181105021519A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Piper PA-24-250 · Texico, NM · November 5, 2018

Date: November 5, 2018 · 18:00 local
Place: Texico, NM
Phase of flight: Landing: Approach
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N3214P
NTSB investigation: NTSBGAA19CA053
Reported as: Piper PA-24-250
Reported engine: Lycoming 0-540 series
People aboard: 3
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 0
Pilot’s certificate: Private pilot
Pilot’s flight hours: 160 total30 in this make and model30 in the last 90 days

N3214PRegistration cancelled Jan 18, 2022 · Piper PA-24-250S/N 24-292 · Built 1958 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.

The pilot stated he filled both fuel tanks (60 gallons fuel on-board) prior to departing austin executive airport ( edc). He said he flew approximately one hour on left tank and then switched to right tank. He flew approximately 1.5 hours on the right tank. He said he felt some buffeting (engine sputter) so he turned on the boost pump and switched back to the left tank. He said this occurred over muleshoe, Texas. Muleshoe is approximately 23 miles southeast of runway 30 at clovis municipal airport (cvn). The pilot stated the aircraft lost power a few minutes after he switched tanks. He then executed an emergency landing attempting to land on the highway at Texico, new Mexico. The aircraft landed at the intersection of us highway 70 and us highway 60 in Texico, new Mexico approximately three miles short of the clovis municipal airport runway.

As the FAA filed it

THE PILOT STATED HE FILLED BOTH FUEL TANKS (60 GALLONS FUEL ON-BOARD) PRIOR TO DEPARTING AUSTIN EXECUTIVE AIRPORT ( EDC). HE SAID HE FLEW APPROXIMATELY ONE HOUR ON LEFT TANK AND THEN SWITCHED TO RIGHT TANK. HE FLEW APPROXIMATELY 1.5 HOURS ON THE RIGHT TANK. HE SAID HE FELT SOME BUFFETING (ENGINE SPUTTER) SO HE TURNED ON THE BOOST PUMP AND SWITCHED BACK TO THE LEFT TANK. HE SAID THIS OCCURRED OVER MULESHOE, TEXAS. MULESHOE IS APPROXIMATELY 23 MILES SOUTHEAST OF RUNWAY 30 AT CLOVIS MUNICIPAL AIRPORT (CVN). THE PILOT STATED THE AIRCRAFT LOST POWER A FEW MINUTES AFTER HE SWITCHED TANKS. HE THEN EXECUTED AN EMERGENCY LANDING ATTEMPTING TO LAND ON THE HIGHWAY AT TEXICO, NEW MEXICO. THE AIRCRAFT LANDED AT THE INTERSECTION OF US HIGHWAY 70 AND US HIGHWAY 60 IN TEXICO, NEW MEXICO APPROXIMATELY THREE MILES SHORT OF THE CLOVIS MUNICIPAL AIRPORT RUNWAY.

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 GAA19CA053Accident · Minor injuriesData collectionFinal reportTexico, NMThe pilot's improper preflight fuel planning, which resulted in fuel exhaustion and a total loss of engine power.Nov 5, 2018 · Substantial damage

Other reports on N3214P · 3

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

Incident 20100416032039ILanding: Touchdown · Douglas, GAUpon landing at Douglas Municipal Airport, right main landing gear collapsed. Aircraft slowed and spun around, then came to a stop.Apr 16, 2010 · Minor damage Incident 19891028054929IEngine Run-Up · Memphis, TNDuring run-up of engine on a maintenance test the brakes failed. Aircraft struck another parked aircraft.Oct 28, 1989 · Minor damage Incident 19851014072649ILevel Off Touchdown · Muscle Shoals, ALPilot did not make sure gear was down for landing. Was unaware until touchdown.Oct 14, 1985 · Minor damage