# NTSB investigations: Lycoming 0-540 series: Fuel starvation

NTSB aviation accident and incident investigations since 1962: the probable cause, findings, aircraft, crew, weather and docket of each, linked to the FAA registry and the FAA’s own reports.

## Latest cases

- [NTSB WPR25LA131](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR25LA131.md): Piper PA-32-260 · Green Valley, AZ · Accident · No injuries · Class 3 · Limited · Final report · Apr 13, 2025 · N3797W · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's improper fuel management, which resulted in a total loss of engine power due to fuel starvation.
- [NTSB WPR25LA092](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR25LA092.md): Piper PA-28-235 · Shafter, CA · Accident · No injuries · Class 3 · Limited · Final report · Feb 9, 2025 · N8535N · Substantial damage
  > A total loss of engine power due to carburetor ice. Contributing was the student pilot and flight instructors’ failure to utilize carburetor heat.
- [NTSB CEN25LA081](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN25LA081.md): Piper PA-24-250 · Bentonville, AR · Accident · Minor injuries · Class 3 · Limited · Final report · Jan 16, 2025 · N6799P · Substantial damage
  > The pilots’ mismanagement of the available fuel, which resulted in a loss of engine power due to fuel starvation.
- [NTSB ERA24LA164](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA24LA164.md): Piper PA-24-250 · North Kingstown, RI · Accident · No injuries · Class 3 · Limited · Final report · Mar 30, 2024 · N7538P · Substantial damage
  > A total loss of engine power during final approach due to the pilot’s failure to recognize that the environmental conditions were susceptible to carburetor icing and apply carburetor heat, which resulted in the formation of carburetor ice. Contributing to the…
- [NTSB ERA24LA054](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA24LA054.md): Piper PA-32-260 · Millington, TN · Accident · Minor injuries · Class 3 · Limited · Final report · Dec 4, 2023 · N7748J · Substantial damage
  > The pilots’ fuel mismanagement during the cross-country flight and incorrect fuel tank selection for the landing approach, which resulted in fuel starvation, a momentary loss of engine power, and collision with terrain short of the runway.
- [NTSB CEN23FA360](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN23FA360.md): Piper PA-24-250 · Oklahoma City, OK · Accident · Serious injuries · Class 3 · Field · Final report · Aug 13, 2023 · N7910P · Substantial damage
  > The pilot’s mismanagement of fuel, which resulted in fuel starvation and a subsequent total loss of engine power.
- [NTSB WPR23LA293](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR23LA293.md): Piper PA-28-235 · Port Angeles, WA · Accident · Minor injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report · Jul 30, 2023 · N8675W · Substantial damage
  > The pilot’s inadequate fuel monitoring, which resulted in a total loss of engine power due to fuel starvation.
- [NTSB WPR23LA285](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR23LA285.md): Maule M-5-235C · Eastsound, WA · Accident · Minor injuries · Class 3 · Limited · Final report · Jul 27, 2023 · N6201M · Substantial damage
  > The pilot’s improper in-flight fuel management, which led to fuel starvation and a total loss of engine power.
- [NTSB ERA22LA291](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA22LA291.md): Piper PA-24-250 · Warm Springs, GA · Accident · Serious injuries · Class 3 · Limited · Final report · Jun 26, 2022 · N14FC · Substantial damage
  > The loss of engine power due to fuel starvation as the result of the pilot’s inadequate preflight inspection of the fuel supply before flight and the mismanagement of fuel during flight.
- [NTSB WPR22LA213](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR22LA213.md): Piper PA-24-250 · Auburn, WA · Accident · Minor injuries · Class 3 · Limited · Final report · Jun 12, 2022 · N7482P · Substantial damage
  > A total loss of engine power due to fuel starvation.
- [NTSB CEN22LA135](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN22LA135.md): Piper PA-28-235 · Monee, IL · Accident · Minor injuries · Class 3 · Limited · Final report · Mar 5, 2022 · N5078M · Substantial damage
  > The loss of engine power due to fuel starvation for undetermined reasons during a departure climb that resulted in a forced landing and impact with terrain.
- [NTSB ERA21LA344](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA21LA344.md): Piper PA32 · Spartanburg, SC · Accident · Serious injuries · Class 3 · Limited · Final report · Aug 28, 2021 · N3862W · Substantial damage
  > The flight instructor’s improper fuel management, which resulted in fuel starvation and a total loss of engine power.
- [NTSB CEN21LA261](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN21LA261.md): Piper PA32 · Lafayette, CO · Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report · Jun 11, 2021 · N3793W · Substantial damage
  > The flight crew’s improper fuel management that resulted in fuel starvation and the loss of engine power.
- [NTSB CEN21LA247](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN21LA247.md): Piper PA-32-260 · Flint, MI · Accident · Minor injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report · May 29, 2021 · N3992W · Substantial damage
  > The pilot’s failure to adequately monitor his fuel quantity during flight which resulted in a partial loss of engine power due to fuel starvation.
- [NTSB CEN20LA373](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN20LA373.md): Piper PA24 · Midland, MI · Accident · 1 fatal · Class 3 · Limited · Final report · Sep 1, 2020 · N5939P · Substantial damage
  > The loss of engine power due to fuel starvation.
- [NTSB ERA20LA057](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA20LA057.md): Piper PA32 · Florida, MA · Accident · Serious injuries · Class 3 · Limited · Final report · Dec 20, 2019 · N4726S · Substantial damage
  > The pilot’s fuel mismanagement during flight, resulting in a total loss of engine power due to fuel starvation and a forced landing in a remote, wooded terrain.
- [NTSB CEN20LA018](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN20LA018.md): Piper PA32 · Houston, TX · Accident · Minor injuries · Class 3 · Limited · Final report · Nov 9, 2019 · N7703J · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's failure to select the proper fuel tank before departure, which resulted in fuel starvation and a total loss of engine power.
- [NTSB CEN19LA257](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN19LA257.md): Piper PA28 · Jacksonville, FL · Accident · No injuries · Class 3 · Limited · Final report · Aug 3, 2019 · N951TS · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's failure to select a fuel tank with adequate fuel, which resulted in fuel starvation and a total loss of engine power.
- [NTSB WPR19LA101](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR19LA101.md): Dennis l Zumbalt SKY Bolt · Deming, NM · Accident · Serious injuries · Class 3 · Limited · Final report · Mar 23, 2019 · N254PM · Substantial damage
  > The pilot’s failure to properly position the fuel selector before takeoff, which resulted in a total loss of engine power due to fuel starvation.
- [NTSB ERA17CA039](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA17CA039.md): Piper PA 24-250 · Houlton, ME · Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report · Nov 8, 2016 · N7682P · Substantial damage
  > A total loss of engine power due to fuel starvation, which resulted from the pilot’s mismanagement of the available fuel.
- [NTSB CEN15LA216](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN15LA216.md): Piper PA 28-235 · Huntington, IN · Accident · Minor injuries · Limited investigation · Final report · May 4, 2015 · N8703W · Substantial damage
  > The pilot’s inadequate in-flight fuel management, which resulted in a total loss of engine power due to fuel starvation.
- [NTSB WPR13LA094](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR13LA094.md): Piper PA-28-235 · Rock Springs, WY · Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report · Jan 18, 2013 · N49DS · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's inadvertent movement of the fuel selector valve beyond its tank detent, which resulted in a total loss of engine power due to fuel starvation. Contributing to the accident was the failure of the fuel selector interlock mechanism.
- [NTSB ERA12LA486](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA12LA486.md): Piper PA-24-250 · Blacksburg, VA · Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report · Jul 27, 2012 · N6248P · Substantial damage
  > The pilot’s inadequate preflight planning and improper in-flight fuel management, which resulted in a total loss of engine power due to fuel starvation.
- [NTSB CEN12CA415](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN12CA415.md): Piper PA-28-235 · Richmond, IN · Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report · Jun 24, 2012 · N8788W · Substantial damage
  > The pilot’s failure to ensure that the fuel selector was properly positioned, which resulted in a total loss of engine power due to fuel starvation.
- [NTSB ERA11CA425](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA11CA425.md): Piper PA-24-250 · Sidney, NY · Accident · Serious injuries · Data collection · Final report · Jul 27, 2011 · N7365P · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's inadequate fuel planning and management, which resulted in fuel starvation and a total loss of engine power during final approach.
- [NTSB NYC08LA299](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC08LA299.md): Piper PA-32-260 · Cumberland, RI · Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report · Sep 1, 2008 · N5529J · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's improper fuel management practices, which resulted in fuel starvation and a complete power loss. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's misdiagnosis of the situation, and his cessation of trouble-shooting to positively identify and correct…

## The whole list in SQL

Runs in DuckDB 1.2 or later on the release's Parquet files over HTTPS:

```sql
SELECT c."ntsbNumber", c."eventDate", c."eventType", c."eventCity", c."eventStateOrRegion", a.n_number, a."aircraftMake", a."aircraftModel", c."highestInjuryLevel", c."totalFatal", c."completionStatus", c.report_url
FROM 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_case_detail.parquet' c LEFT JOIN 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_aircrafts.parquet' a ON a.case_mkey = c."mKey" AND a.position = 1
WHERE c."mKey" IN (SELECT x.case_mkey FROM 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_aircrafts.parquet' x WHERE x.engine_model_code IN ('41532')
    AND EXISTS (SELECT 1 FROM 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_events.parquet' e WHERE e.case_mkey = x.case_mkey AND e.aircrafts_position = x.position AND e."isDefiningEvent" AND e."tier2Number" = '191'))
ORDER BY c."eventDate" DESC, c."ntsbNumber" DESC
```

This list as a web page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/191/cases?engine=41532

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