What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On November 17, 2021 at 10:44 MST, a Piper PA-28-180 cherokee, single engine airplane privacy data omitted was on a cross country flight from ffz, mesa AZ to fmn, Farmington, NM under visual flight rules when it impacted the ground in a residential neighborhood during a forced landing. The aircraft engine experienced a loss of power while on a one mile final to the Four Corners Regional Airport and resulted in the aircraft being substantially damaged, and the private pilot experienced minor injuries. The flight originated at mesa Arizona, on November 17, 2021, at 0816 MST.
The private pilot rented a cherokee 180, N9467J fromprivacy data omitted at falcon field Arizona. This was a solo flight from ffz to fmn. The private pilot had stated that prior to departing ffz, N9467J had 36 gallons in the tanks and that it was filled to the tabs. The private pilot had stated that flight planning required 30 gallons to make the trip. The private pilot stated that he had not filed a VFR flight plan. The private pilot had stated that he took off at 7:45AM that morning from ffz and had to return due to the door not latching. Upon departing again from ffz, flightaware shows that the flight departed again at 8:16AM and came to rest 3,200 feet southeast of the runway 25 approach end at the Four Corners Regional Airport (fmn) at 10:44AM. The private pilot stated that as he approached fmn that he noticed the tanks read between zero and 10 gallons on each side. The private pilot had been cleared to land on runway 25 and that he decided to switch the fuel selector to the left tank since it appeared to have more fuel. The private pilot mentioned that about a minute after he switched tanks the engine quit and he notified the tower that he wasn?t going to make it to the airport. The private pilot stated that he hit the ground and skidded 50 feet and came to rest in a dirt lot. Investigation revealed that the due to departing ffz and then having to return, the private pilot failed to ensure there was enough fuel on the aircraft for the intended route of flight. The root cause for this accident was complacency.
As the FAA filed it
ON NOVEMBER 17, 2021 AT 10:44 MST, A PIPER PA-28-180 CHEROKEE, SINGLE ENGINE AIRPLANE ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ WAS ON A CROSS COUNTRY FLIGHT FROM FFZ, MESA AZ TO FMN, FARMINGTON, NM UNDER VISUAL FLIGHT RULES WHEN IT IMPACTED THE GROUND IN A RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOOD DURING A FORCED LANDING. THE AIRCRAFT ENGINE EXPERIENCED A LOSS OF POWER WHILE ON A ONE MILE FINAL TO THE FOUR CORNERS REGIONAL AIRPORT AND RESULTED IN THE AIRCRAFT BEING SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED, AND THE PRIVATE PILOT EXPERIENCED MINOR INJURIES. THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED AT MESA ARIZONA, ON NOVEMBER 17, 2021, AT 0816 MST.
THE PRIVATE PILOT RENTED A CHEROKEE 180, N9467J FROM^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ AT FALCON FIELD ARIZONA. THIS WAS A SOLO FLIGHT FROM FFZ TO FMN. THE PRIVATE PILOT HAD STATED THAT PRIOR TO DEPARTING FFZ, N9467J HAD 36 GALLONS IN THE TANKS AND THAT IT WAS FILLED TO THE TABS. THE PRIVATE PILOT HAD STATED THAT FLIGHT PLANNING REQUIRED 30 GALLONS TO MAKE THE TRIP. THE PRIVATE PILOT STATED THAT HE HAD NOT FILED A VFR FLIGHT PLAN. THE PRIVATE PILOT HAD STATED THAT HE TOOK OFF AT 7:45AM THAT MORNING FROM FFZ AND HAD TO RETURN DUE TO THE DOOR NOT LATCHING. UPON DEPARTING AGAIN FROM FFZ, FLIGHTAWARE SHOWS THAT THE FLIGHT DEPARTED AGAIN AT 8:16AM AND CAME TO REST 3,200 FEET SOUTHEAST OF THE RUNWAY 25 APPROACH END AT THE FOUR CORNERS REGIONAL AIRPORT (FMN) AT 10:44AM. THE PRIVATE PILOT STATED THAT AS HE APPROACHED FMN THAT HE NOTICED THE TANKS READ BETWEEN ZERO AND 10 GALLONS ON EACH SIDE. THE PRIVATE PILOT HAD BEEN CLEARED TO LAND ON RUNWAY 25 AND THAT HE DECIDED TO SWITCH THE FUEL SELECTOR TO THE LEFT TANK SINCE IT APPEARED TO HAVE MORE FUEL. THE PRIVATE PILOT MENTIONED THAT ABOUT A MINUTE AFTER HE SWITCHED TANKS THE ENGINE QUIT AND HE NOTIFIED THE TOWER THAT HE WASN?T GOING TO MAKE IT TO THE AIRPORT. THE PRIVATE PILOT STATED THAT HE HIT THE GROUND AND SKIDDED 50 FEET AND CAME TO REST IN A DIRT LOT. INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE DUE TO DEPARTING FFZ AND THEN HAVING TO RETURN, THE PRIVATE PILOT FAILED TO ENSURE THERE WAS ENOUGH FUEL ON THE AIRCRAFT FOR THE INTENDED ROUTE OF FLIGHT. THE ROOT CAUSE FOR THIS ACCIDENT WAS COMPLACENCY.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.
Other reports on N9467J · 3
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.