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20181114022529A

Accident · Substantial damage
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FAA accident report · Piper PA-28-140 · Presidio, TX · November 14, 2018

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

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Date
November 14, 2018 · 19:00 local
Place
Presidio, TX
Phase of flight
Cruise/Level Flight
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage
Substantial damage
Aircraft
N1715J
NTSB investigation
NTSBWPR19LA027
Reported as
Piper PA-28-140
Reported engine
Lycoming 0-320 series
People aboard
1
Fatal injuries
0
Other injuries
1
Pilot’s certificate
Student
Pilot’s flight hours
200 total30 in this make and model20 in the last 90 days
N1715JRegistration cancelled Jul 31, 2021 · Piper PA-28-140S/N 28-24127 · Built 1968Airframe modelPiper PA-28-140Engine modelLycoming 0-320 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 student pilot was interviewed by the NTSB and FAA.

The student pilot broadcasted a may-day call due to a rough running engine. The may-day was relayed by other aircraft to ato. The aircraft made a forced landing approximately 6.5 miles east of Presidio, Texas. The student pilot did not make direct contact with ato.

The student pilot said prior to the forced landing, he landed on a "ranch" runway somewhere south of alpine, Texas. He landed there because the engine was running rough. He could not find assistance on the remote field, so he ran the engine for several minutes on the ground. The engine seemed to "clear-up" and was making power, so he took-off again heading for Presidio, Texas.

He told investigators the engine began to run rough again. He tried to use the boost-pump, carb-heat, and engine primer, but could not get the engine to make power. He then executed the forced landing.

Inspection of both fuel tanks revealed the left fuel tank was empty. The right tank contained approximately 15 gallons of fuel.

As the FAA filed it

THE STUDENT PILOT WAS INTERVIEWED BY THE NTSB AND FAA.

THE STUDENT PILOT BROADCASTED A MAY-DAY CALL DUE TO A ROUGH RUNNING ENGINE. THE MAY-DAY WAS RELAYED BY OTHER AIRCRAFT TO ATO. THE AIRCRAFT MADE A FORCED LANDING APPROXIMATELY 6.5 MILES EAST OF PRESIDIO, TEXAS. THE STUDENT PILOT DID NOT MAKE DIRECT CONTACT WITH ATO.

THE STUDENT PILOT SAID PRIOR TO THE FORCED LANDING, HE LANDED ON A "RANCH" RUNWAY SOMEWHERE SOUTH OF ALPINE, TEXAS. HE LANDED THERE BECAUSE THE ENGINE WAS RUNNING ROUGH. HE COULD NOT FIND ASSISTANCE ON THE REMOTE FIELD, SO HE RAN THE ENGINE FOR SEVERAL MINUTES ON THE GROUND. THE ENGINE SEEMED TO "CLEAR-UP" AND WAS MAKING POWER, SO HE TOOK-OFF AGAIN HEADING FOR PRESIDIO, TEXAS.

HE TOLD INVESTIGATORS THE ENGINE BEGAN TO RUN ROUGH AGAIN. HE TRIED TO USE THE BOOST-PUMP, CARB-HEAT, AND ENGINE PRIMER, BUT COULD NOT GET THE ENGINE TO MAKE POWER. HE THEN EXECUTED THE FORCED LANDING.

INSPECTION OF BOTH FUEL TANKS REVEALED THE LEFT FUEL TANK WAS EMPTY. THE RIGHT TANK CONTAINED APPROXIMATELY 15 GALLONS OF FUEL.

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 WPR19LA027Accident · No injuriesClass 3 · LimitedFinal reportPresidio, TXThe student pilot’s loss of control at low altitude during a forced landing, which resulted in impact with terrain and substantial damage to the right wing. A contributing factor in the accident was the loss of engine power for undetermined reasons.Nov 14, 2018 · Substantial damage