- Date
- May 13, 1992, 13:15 local (17:15 UTC)
- Place
- Soccastee, SC
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N3841ZPiper PA-18-150
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report June 30, 1993
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19920513014759A
- Case key
- 8602
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 his fuel in that he exhausted fuel in one tank, then failed to select the tank with fuel.
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
During a banner tow flight the pilot reported that he alternately switched fuel tanks. As he departed the operating area to return to base, the engine quit. A forced landing was made into a field where the airplane nosed over during the landing roll. The operator reported that he went to the accident site & found no fuel in the left tank. The right tank was nearly full, he said. The fuel selector was found in the left tank position. After righting the airplane, an attempt was made to start the engine. When the fuel selector was moved to the right tank position, the engine started and operated. Subsequent examination of the fuel system revealed that it was capable of normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N3841Z
- Reported as
- Piper PA-18-150
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 18-7595
- Airframe hours
- 5,618
- Engine
- Lycoming O-360A3A, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Other work use · Part 91
- Operator
- Sky Signs, Inc.
- Registered owner
- Emu, Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Restricted (Special)
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · April 18, 1992 · 73 hours before
- Departed
- NONE · Conway, SC
- Flight plan
- Company VFR
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
- 24
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Center
- Flight hours
- 1,269 total · 280 in this make and model · 1,110 as pilot in command · 323 in the last 90 days · 135 in the last 30 days · 3 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 80° at 10 knots
- Visibility
- 5 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 4,000 ft broken
- Temperature
- 73 °F, dew point 64 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- CRE, 15 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.
Other investigations on N3841Z · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.