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20191202021999A

Accident · Destroyed
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FAA accident report · Piper PA-28-161 · Vero Beach, FL · December 2, 2019

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

© OpenStreetMap
Date
December 2, 2019 · 12:37 local
Place
Vero Beach, FL
Airport
Vero Beach Regional
Phase of flight
Descent
Operating rules
Pilot school (Part 141)
Operator
ECPS
Damage
Destroyed
Aircraft
N558PU
NTSB investigation
NTSBERA20TA046
Reported as
Piper PA-28-161
Reported engine
Lycoming 0-320 series
People aboard
1
Fatal injuries
0
Other injuries
0
Pilot’s certificate
Private pilot
Pilot’s flight hours
140 total140 in this make and model80 in the last 90 days
N558PURegistration cancelled Apr 3, 2021 · Piper PA-28-161S/N 2842095 · Built 2000Airframe modelPiper PA-28-161Engine 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.

Accident happened on 12/02/2019 at about 12:30 local time, while descending to land at the Vero Beach, FL airport, after a cross-country flight of about 2.5 to 3 hours. Weather not being a factor, while on downwind to land, the engine stopped. Unable to restart engine and unable to make it to a runway, pilot elected to land on a golf course nearby.

During landing roll, the aircraft struck a tree with the left wing, which was torn from the aircraft. Aircraft came to a stop upright, and pilot exited without injury.

Examination of aircraft revealed that the right fuel tank was completely full and the left was empty with no sign of a fuel leak at the accident scene. Both fuel tanks appeared to be intact. No discrepancies were noted with the induction system.

Later examinations did not find a mechanical problem with the engine or its ignition system and a little over an ounce of fuel was found in the carburetor bowl. When selected, fuel flowed from the right tank through the selector to the fuel strainer.

During the pilot interview, he could not be certain that he had switched tanks as required by training and correct operating practices for this aircraft.

This aircraft would fly about 2.5 to 3 hours if the pilot does not switch tanks in flight.

The cause of this accident is believed to be fuel starvation caused by the pilot's incorrect operation of the aircraft fuel system.

Pilot: ^zhuang qu^ (private pilot, ^4237888^)

Aircraft: PA-28-161, N558PU

As the FAA filed it

ACCIDENT HAPPENED ON 12/02/2019 AT ABOUT 12:30 LOCAL TIME, WHILE DESCENDING TO LAND AT THE VERO BEACH, FL AIRPORT, AFTER A CROSS-COUNTRY FLIGHT OF ABOUT 2.5 TO 3 HOURS. WEATHER NOT BEING A FACTOR, WHILE ON DOWNWIND TO LAND, THE ENGINE STOPPED. UNABLE TO RESTART ENGINE AND UNABLE TO MAKE IT TO A RUNWAY, PILOT ELECTED TO LAND ON A GOLF COURSE NEARBY.

DURING LANDING ROLL, THE AIRCRAFT STRUCK A TREE WITH THE LEFT WING, WHICH WAS TORN FROM THE AIRCRAFT. AIRCRAFT CAME TO A STOP UPRIGHT, AND PILOT EXITED WITHOUT INJURY.

EXAMINATION OF AIRCRAFT REVEALED THAT THE RIGHT FUEL TANK WAS COMPLETELY FULL AND THE LEFT WAS EMPTY WITH NO SIGN OF A FUEL LEAK AT THE ACCIDENT SCENE. BOTH FUEL TANKS APPEARED TO BE INTACT. NO DISCREPANCIES WERE NOTED WITH THE INDUCTION SYSTEM.

LATER EXAMINATIONS DID NOT FIND A MECHANICAL PROBLEM WITH THE ENGINE OR ITS IGNITION SYSTEM AND A LITTLE OVER AN OUNCE OF FUEL WAS FOUND IN THE CARBURETOR BOWL. WHEN SELECTED, FUEL FLOWED FROM THE RIGHT TANK THROUGH THE SELECTOR TO THE FUEL STRAINER.

DURING THE PILOT INTERVIEW, HE COULD NOT BE CERTAIN THAT HE HAD SWITCHED TANKS AS REQUIRED BY TRAINING AND CORRECT OPERATING PRACTICES FOR THIS AIRCRAFT.

THIS AIRCRAFT WOULD FLY ABOUT 2.5 TO 3 HOURS IF THE PILOT DOES NOT SWITCH TANKS IN FLIGHT.

THE CAUSE OF THIS ACCIDENT IS BELIEVED TO BE FUEL STARVATION CAUSED BY THE PILOT'S INCORRECT OPERATION OF THE AIRCRAFT FUEL SYSTEM.

PILOT: ^ZHUANG QU^ (PRIVATE PILOT, ^4237888^)

AIRCRAFT: PA-28-161, N558PU

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 ERA20TA046Accident · No injuriesClass 3Final reportVero Beach, FLThe pilot's improper fuel management, which resulted in fuel starvation and a total loss of engine power.Dec 2, 2019 · Substantial damage

Other reports on N558PU · 1

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

Incident 20080128010639ILevel Off Touchdown · Frankfort, IN(-23) On 01/28/2008 at 1430 local time N588PU struck a runway light during a crosswind landing on runway 9 at Frankfort Indiana (kfkr). The pilot [privacy data omitted] as the pilot was flying this aircraft with [privacy data omitted] as the flight…Jan 28, 2008 · Minor damage