BFO90LA030

NTSB accident investigation · Piper PA-32-260 · Dungannon, VA · February 24, 1990

Accident · Serious injuriesLimited investigationFinal report
Date
February 24, 1990, 09:34 local (14:34 UTC)
Place
Dungannon, VA
Injuries
3 serious, 1 minor
Damage
Destroyed
Phase of flight
Maneuvering
Aircraft
N3484WPiper PA-32-260
Weather
Visual (VMC) · Day
Status
Completed · report December 15, 1992
Report
Approved by Office Director
FAA report
19900224002859A
Case key
11582

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

The pilot's improper planning/decision, which resulted in fuel starvation and loss of engine power, and failure of the pilot to maintain directional control of the aircraft during the emergency landing. Factors related to the accident were: the adverse weather conditions, the pilot becoming lost/disoriented, the subsequent low fuel supply, and the aircraft's excessive aft center-of-gravity (CG).

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.

Loss of engine powerManeuvering
Weather condition - low ceilingFactor
Weather condition - turbulenceFactor
Became lost/disoriented - inadvertentPilot in commandFactor
Fluid,fuel - low levelFactor
Precautionary landing - initiatedPilot in command
Fluid,fuel - starvationCause
In-flight planning/decision - improperPilot in commandCause
Forced landingManeuvering - turn to landing area (emergency)
Loss of control - on ground/waterLanding
Aircraft weight and balance - improperPilot in commandFactor
Directional control - not maintainedPilot in commandCause
On ground/water collision with objectLanding
Object - residence

Analysis

The VFR plt departed tulsa, OK, on a flt to bristol, TN, with a full load of fuel. No en route stops were made. In the area of bristol, the plt ctcd tri-city apch ctl & requested radar vectors to the tri-city arpt. However, the acft's alt was low & radar ctc with apch ctl was not made. The plt believed he was sw of the arpt, but atlanta ARTCC noted the acft was 40 mi nw of tri-city. The plt was adzd of his psn, but he contd on an easterly hdg. The psgrs noted turbc, snw showers & reduced vis. Subsequently, the plt elected to lnd on a street in Dungannon, VA. Svrl witnesses noted an interruption of eng pwr before the acft was lndd. Rprtdly, the acft touched down hard, then bounced & went to the left of the street, hitting the porch of a house. Though an interruption of eng pwr was rprtd, the prop blades had evidence of rotational dmg. The fuel sel was fnd psnd to the rgt otbrd tank; the 2 rgt tanks had abt 1 qt of fuel remaining. CG of the acft was calculated to be behind the aft limit.

Aircraft

Registration
N3484W
Reported as
Piper PA-32-260
Category
Airplane
Serial number
32-362
Airframe hours
4,585
Engine
Lycoming O-540-4EB5, 260 horsepower, reciprocating
Damage
Destroyed
Flight
Business · Part 91
Registered owner
Teen Main Ministries, Inc.
Airworthiness certificate
Standard, Normal
Last inspection
Annual · September 29, 1989 · 151 hours before
Departed
RVS · Tulsa, OK
Destination
TRI · Bristol, TN

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
28
Certificate
Private
Airplane ratings
Single-engine land
Medical
Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
Seat
Left
Flight hours
393 total · 280 in this make and model · 334 as pilot in command · 44 in the last 90 days · 11 in the last 30 days · 6 in the last 24 hours

Weather

Conditions
Visual (VMC) · Day
Wind
240° at 22 knots, gusting 30
Visibility
7 statute miles
Lowest ceiling
2,500 ft broken
Temperature
41 °F
Altimeter
29.00 inHg
Observed at
TRI, 21 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.