- Date
- February 21, 1998, 17:55 local (22:55 UTC)
- Place
- Perry Foley, FL
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N8648LPiper PA-25-235
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report February 15, 2001
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19980221001649A
- Case key
- 3975
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
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Probable cause
a loose (or missing) carburetor drain plug and fuel line, due to an inadequate maintenance/annual inspection, which resulted in a fuel leak, fuel exhaustion, loss of engine power, and a forced landing. The obstructions (trees in the emergency landing area) were 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
During cruise flight, the engine lost power. The pilot then initiated an emergency landing on a dirt road, but during the landing, the airplane collided with trees and was damaged. According to an FAA inspector and the pilot, no fuel was remaining in the airplane, but it should not have run out of fuel. They stated the airplane should have reached its destination with adequate fuel reserves. The FAA inspector noted that the fuel tank did not rupture, and that it contained only residual fuel. Also, the FAA inspector noted that the carburetor bowl drain plug was missing, and the fuel line from the fuel tank to the firewall shutoff valve was loose and leaking. According to the FAA inspector, the airplane recently had an annual inspection after being in extended storage .
Factual narrative
On February 21, 1998, at 1755 eastern standard time, a Piper PA-25-235, N8648L, collided with the ground during an emergency landing following a loss of engine power during cruise flight near Perry Foley, Florida. The airplane was operated by the commercial pilot under the provisions of Title 14 CFR Part 91, and visual flight rules. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed. The pilot was not injured, and the airplane sustained substantial damage. The flight originated in Brownfield, Texas, exact time unknown.
According to both the FAA inspector and the pilot, the airplane had no fuel, but should not have run out of fuel. They stated the airplane should have reached its destination, Hollywood, Florida, with adequate fuel reserves.
During further examination by the FAA inspector, it was noted that the engine contained adequate oil and showed no signs of seizure. Also, the fuel tank did not rupture and contained only residual fuel. It was also noted by the FAA inspector that the carburetor bowl drain plug was missing, and the fuel line from the fuel tank to the firewall shutoff valve was loose and leaking. According to the FAA inspector, the airplane had recently undergone an annual inspection after being in extended storage .
Aircraft
- Registration
- N8648L
- Reported as
- Piper PA-25-235
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 25-5088
- Engine
- Lycoming O-540-B2B5, 250 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- John Turley
- Registered owner
- South Plains Aero
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Restricted (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · February 18, 1998 · 6 hours before
- Departed
- Q26 · Brownfield, TX
- Destination
- HWO · Hollywood, FL
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 33
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Center
- Flight hours
- 1,300 total
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 0° at 3 knots
- Visibility
- 7 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 68 °F, dew point 45 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- GNV, 38 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.