- Date
- December 20, 1997, 12:23 local (17:23 UTC)
- Place
- Jacksonville, NC
- Injuries
- 1 serious
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N5258ZPiper PA-22-108
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report October 30, 1998
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19971220041519A
- Case key
- 3955
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 improper preflight inspection by failing to ensure the fuel selector was properly positioned, which led to fuel starvation, loss of engine power, and a forced landing on rough/uneven terrain. The lack of suitable terrain for a forced landing was a related factor.
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 he filled only the left fuel tank when he refueled the previous night. Before takeoff, he checked the fuel and 'determined' there was approximately 11 gallons in the left tank. He took off from the airport and climbed to about 400 feet where the engine began to sputter. The pilot stated he then looked for a suitable landing field, and made a forced landing. During the forced landing, the airplane encountered rough terrain and was damaged. According to an FAA inspector, who interviewed the pilot, the pilot stated that he believed the right fuel tank had been selected. The pilot believed he switched to the left fuel tank prior to the engine failure, but he could not be certain. According to the Pilot's Operating Handbook and the pilot, takeoffs must be made with the fuel selector in the left position.
Factual narrative
On December 20, 1997, about 1223 eastern standard time, a Piper PA-22-108, N5258Z, collided with rough terrain shortly after takeoff from a private airport in Jacksonville, North Carolina. The airplane was operated by the private pilot under the provisions of Title 14 CFR Part 91, and visual flight rules. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the personal flight. The pilot and sole occupant sustained serious injuries, and the airplane sustained substantial damage. The flight was originating at the time of the accident.
The pilot stated he filled only the left fuel tank the night before. Prior to takeoff, he checked the fuel and determined there was approximately 11 gallons in the left tank. He took off from the airport and climbed to about 400 feet where the engine began to sputter. The pilot stated he then looked for a suitable landing field, considering his altitude, and made an emergency landing. He felt he did not have time to perform a restart procedure because of his altitude.
According to the FAA inspector who interviewed the pilot, the pilot stated that he believed the fuel selector was on the right tank when he took off. The pilot believed he switched to the left fuel tank prior to the engine failure because he often did, but he could not be certain. According to the Pilot's Operating Handbook and the pilot, takeoffs must be made with the fuel selector in the left position.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N5258Z
- Reported as
- Piper PA-22-108
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 22-8943
- Airframe hours
- 6,000
- Engine
- Lycoming O-235-C1B, 108 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Steven C. Powell
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · November 1, 1997 · 20 hours before
- Departed
- PVT · NC
- Airport
- PVT · Jacksonville Private, runway 25, 2,300 × 60 ft, grass/turf
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
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 150 total · 125 as pilot in command
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 63 °F, dew point 36 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- OAJ, 1 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.