- Date
- July 10, 2004, 02:00 local (07:00 UTC)
- Place
- Tallassee, AL
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N6AUPiper PA-28-161
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Night
- Status
- Completed · report September 29, 2004
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- Birmingham FSDO
- FAA report
- 20040710012939A
- Case key
- 59761
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The pilot's mismanagement of the fuel supply, which resulted in fuel starvation and the subsequent loss of engine power. A factor was pilot fatigue and the unauthorized use of the airplane .
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
The pilot stated that he performed a preflight on the airplane and that he observed the fuel tanks to be "half full". The pilot then took off from Wetumpka Municipal Airport and went to Autauga County Airport in Prattville, Alabama where he performed three touch and go landings and flew around the local area. The pilot went back to Wetumpka and performed four touch and go landings. From there, the pilot decided that he would fly to Auburn, Alabama. While en route, the pilot stated that he "fell asleep and ran the left fuel tank empty." His next memory was the impact with the ground in a cotton field. Examination of the airplane revealed the wreckage path was approximately 50 feet long on a heading of 210 degrees. All three landing gears were separated from the airplane and both propeller blades were bent aft with no rotational twisting of the blades. The engine mount was broken, the throttle control was found closed, the mixture was found full rich and the fuel selector was found on the left tank. No fuel was found in the left fuel tank, however 10 to 15 gallons of fuel were found in the right fuel tank.
Factual narrative
On July 10, 2004 at 0200 central daylight time, a Piper PA-28-161, N6AU, registered to and operated by CMC Aviation Services Co., collided with the ground in Tallassee, Alabama. The flight was operated under the provisions of Title 14 CFR Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed. The airplane was substantially damaged. The private pilot received minor injuries. The flight originated at Wetumpka Municipal Airport, Wetumpka, Alabama, on July 9, 2004 at 2330.
The operator had not authorized the personal flight. The pilot stated that he had decided to take a pleasure flight in the local area. The pilot said that he performed a preflight on the airplane and that he observed the fuel tanks to be "half full". The pilot then took off from Wetumpka Municipal Airport and went to Autauga County Airport in Prattville, Alabama where he performed three touch and go landings and flew around the local area. The pilot flew back to Wetumpka and performed four touch and go landings and again flew around the local area. From there, the pilot decided that he would fly to Auburn, Alabama. While enroute, the pilot stated that he "fell asleep and ran the left fuel tank empty." His next memory was the impact with the ground in a cotton field.
Examination of the airplane revealed the wreckage path was approximately 50 feet long on a heading of 210 degrees. All three landing gears were separated from the airplane and both propeller blades were bent aft with no rotational twisting of the blades. The engine mount was broken, the throttle control was found closed, the mixture was found full rich and the fuel selector was found on the left tank. No fuel was found in the left fuel tank, however 10 to 15 gallons of fuel were found in the right fuel tank.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N6AU
- Reported as
- Piper PA-28-161
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 28-7816212
- Airframe hours
- 3,656.8
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-036, 160 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Jules Moffet, doing business as CMC Aviation Services Co
- Registered owner
- Jules M Moffett
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · April 20, 2004 · 8.8 hours before
- Departed
- 08A · Wetumpka, AL
- Destination
- Auburn, AL
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 35
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Last flight review
- May 19, 2004
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 165 total · 40 in this make and model · 10 in the last 90 days · 10 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Night
- Wind
- 340° at 3 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Temperature
- 73 °F, dew point 70 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.17 inHg
- Observed at
- AUO, 19 nm away
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.