20231011019849A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Piper PA-46-310B · Chandler, AZ · October 11, 2023

Date: October 11, 2023 · 10:48 local
Place: Chandler, AZ
Airport: Chandler
Phase of flight: Takeoff: Climb Out
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N4380D
NTSB investigation: NTSBWPR24LA012
Reported as: Piper PA-46-310B
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 0
Pilot’s certificate: Airline transport
Pilot’s flight hours: 18,864 total8 in this make and model154 in the last 90 days

N4380DRegistered now · Piper PA-46-310PS/N 46-8508045 · Built 1985 Airframe modelPiper PA-46-310P Engine modelContinental TSIO-520 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.

PIC departed from Chandler Airport. Approximately 3 minutes into the flight, PIC reported engine 'sputtering' with power loss and maneuvered to land opposite direction on runway he just departed from. PIC extended landing gear, then retracted it after noticing a descent rate that would not make the runway. Plane landed gear-up on airport property in grassy area adjacent to the runways and taxiways. PIC was uninjured. FAA arrived on-scene and the plane was moved to ramp area. Plane was inspected 5 days later and no anomolies were found with the engine or fuel pumps. However fuel draining action yielded less than 1 quart. Unusable fuel according to the manual is 1 gallon per side - 2 gallons total.

Airman was extremely cooperative and was counseled on the importance of confirming fuel on board prior to departure. I am satisfied the counseling addresses the identified cause and returns the airman to compliance. Nothing follows.

As the FAA filed it

PIC DEPARTED FROM CHANDLER AIRPORT. APPROXIMATELY 3 MINUTES INTO THE FLIGHT, PIC REPORTED ENGINE 'SPUTTERING' WITH POWER LOSS AND MANEUVERED TO LAND OPPOSITE DIRECTION ON RUNWAY HE JUST DEPARTED FROM. PIC EXTENDED LANDING GEAR, THEN RETRACTED IT AFTER NOTICING A DESCENT RATE THAT WOULD NOT MAKE THE RUNWAY. PLANE LANDED GEAR-UP ON AIRPORT PROPERTY IN GRASSY AREA ADJACENT TO THE RUNWAYS AND TAXIWAYS. PIC WAS UNINJURED. FAA ARRIVED ON-SCENE AND THE PLANE WAS MOVED TO RAMP AREA. PLANE WAS INSPECTED 5 DAYS LATER AND NO ANOMOLIES WERE FOUND WITH THE ENGINE OR FUEL PUMPS. HOWEVER FUEL DRAINING ACTION YIELDED LESS THAN 1 QUART. UNUSABLE FUEL ACCORDING TO THE MANUAL IS 1 GALLON PER SIDE - 2 GALLONS TOTAL.

AIRMAN WAS EXTREMELY COOPERATIVE AND WAS COUNSELED ON THE IMPORTANCE OF CONFIRMING FUEL ON BOARD PRIOR TO DEPARTURE. I AM SATISFIED THE COUNSELING ADDRESSES THE IDENTIFIED CAUSE AND RETURNS THE AIRMAN TO COMPLIANCE. NOTHING FOLLOWS.

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 WPR24LA012Accident · No injuriesClass 3 · LimitedFinal reportChandler, AZThe pilot’s failure to adequately confirm the fuel quantity before departure, resulting in fuel exhaustion and a partial loss of engine power.Oct 11, 2023 · Substantial damage

Other reports on N4380D · 1

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

Incident 19870113026319IRoll-Out (Fixed Wing) · Philadelphia, PALost directional control on landing. Departed runway side. Propeller struck a runway light.Jan 13, 1987 · Minor damage