# NTSB ANC04LA043: Piper PA-24-250, N6583R, West Palm Beach, FL, March 20, 2004 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: March 20, 2004, 17:00 local (22:00 UTC) - Place: West Palm Beach, FL - Coordinates: 26.588888, -80.09333 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=26.5889&lon=-80.0933&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed, report October 28, 2004 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Alaska Regional Office - Parties: Ft. Lauderdale FSDO-17 - NTSB case key (mKey): 58939 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ANC04LA043 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/58939/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC04LA043 ## Probable cause The incorrect assembly of the fuel selector valve by maintenance personnel, and the pilot's failure to make a precautionary landing to assess the fuel situation and lack of movement of the right fuel tank indicator. which resulted in fuel starvation and the loss of engine power during cruise flight. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of engine power(total) - nonmechanical, cruise - fluid,fuel - starvation (cause) - fuel system,selector/valve - reversed - maintenance,alignment - incorrect, other maintenance personnel (cause) - precautionary landing - not performed, pilot in command (cause) - Forced landing, emergency descent/landing - In flight collision with terrain/water, emergency descent/landing - terrain condition - plowed/furrowed ## Analysis During the first flight after having maintenance performed on the airplane's fuel system, the pilot reported a total loss of engine power in cruise flight. During the flight the pilot and pilot-rated passenger discussed the lack of movement of the right fuel indicator needle with both main tanks in the "ON" position. After the loss of engine power, the pilot asked the more experienced pilot-rated passenger to take the controls for the landing. The airplane landed in a plowed field. After landing, the pilots noted that the right main tank was full, and the left main tank was empty. An inspection of the fuel system found the right fuel selector valve was assembled incorrectly, and actually blocked the flow of fuel from the right main tank when selected to the "ON" position. ## Factual narrative On March 20, 2004, about 1700 eastern standard time, a Piper PA-24-250 airplane, N6583R, received substantial damage when it collided with terrain about 12 miles northeast of West Palm Beach, Florida, during an emergency landing following a total loss of engine power in cruise flight. The airplane was being operated by the pilot as a visual flight rules (VFR) local personal flight under Title 14, CFR Part 91. The pilot and pilot-rated passenger were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed. The flight departed Palm Beach County Park Airport, West Palm Beach, about 1520. During a telephone conversation with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigator-in-charge (IIC), on March 20, the pilot/owner said he was conducting the first flight in the airplane after its release from maintenance. He said the right main fuel tank had been replaced, and the right fuel tank selector had been reconditioned. Additionally, four engine cylinders had been replaced. The pilot/owner said he was flying with the left and right fuel tank selectors in the "main" position, presumably drawing fuel from both main tanks. He said he and the pilot-rated passenger discussed the lack of movement of the right fuel gauge indicator compared to the movement of the left fuel gauge indicator. The pilot/owner stated the right fuel gauge had always been "sluggish," and continued the flight to "run-in" the new engine cylinders. He said 80 minutes into the flight, about 1,200 feet agl, the airplane had a total loss of engine power, and emergency procedures failed to restart the engine. The pilot/owner said he requested the more experienced, commercial certificated flight instructor passenger to take the controls for the landing, which he did. The pilot on the controls selected a road for landing, but was unable to reach the road, and landed in a cultivated field. After landing, both pilots visually inspected the fuel tanks, and noted that the right main fuel tank was full, and the left main fuel tank was empty. The pilot/owner said the airplane sustained damage to both wings, fuselage, tail, landing gear, flaps, and propeller. During an inspection of the airplane on March 20, the IIC disassembled the recently reconditioned right fuel selector valve. The fuel valve was installed on the selector stem 180 degrees out of the correct position, blocking fuel flow from the right main tank when in the "on" position, and allowing fuel flow only from the left main tank. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N6583R](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N6583R-2005-06-06), registration cancelled 2005-06-06, S/N 24-1842, built 1960 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Piper PA-24-250 - Registry model: [Piper PA-24-250](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-24-250) (registry code 7102404) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming 0-540 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-540-series) (registry code 41532, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 1842 - Airframe hours: 2811 - Engines: Lycoming O-540-B1A 250 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Operator: Ralf Koklar - Registered owner: RASA Air Inc. - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Utility; Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, February 4, 2004, 11 hours before - Departed: KLNA, Lantana, FL ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 64; injuries: none; flight instructor, commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 3, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; last flight review April 3, 2002; seat: right; flight hours: 3,130 total, 4 in this make and model, 2,630 as pilot in command, 114 in the last 90 days, 18 in the last 30 days, 0 in the last 24 hours - Pilot; age 46; injuries: none; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; last flight review January 31, 2003; seat: left; flight hours: 329 total, 187 in this make and model, 230 as pilot in command, 22 in the last 90 days, 20 in the last 30 days, 2 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 75 °F - Altimeter: 30.20 inHg ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20040320021569A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20040320021569A), Mar 20, 2004: Piper PA24250, Wellington, FL, Substantial damage. (-23) On March 20, 2004 a Piper PA-24-250, N6583R operated by a private pilot made an off airport landing because the engine stopped developing power. The… From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.