- Date
- September 19, 2010, 16:46 local (20:46 UTC)
- Place
- Edwardsburg, MI
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N4610HPiper PA-17
- Defining event
- Takeoff: Fuel exhaustion
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report May 5, 2011
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Central Region
- Parties
- FAA South Bend FSDO
- FAA report
- 20100919044959A
- Case key
- 77343
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
A total loss of engine power during takeoff due to fuel exhaustion as a result of the pilot’s improper fuel planning.
Findings · 2
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The pilot reported that the airplane's fuel gauge indicated that the fuel tanks were about half full during his preflight inspection. He conducted a 45-minute flight and landed. During takeoff on the second flight, the airplane reached about 150 feet of altitude when the engine started to sputter and subsequently experienced a total loss of power. The pilot initiated a return to the private airstrip and during the turn the airplane stalled. The airplane impacted the ground in a left-wing-low attitude, resulting in substantial damage to the fuselage and wings. A postaccident examination of the airplane revealed that there was no fuel in the tanks.
Factual narrative
The pilot reported that the fuel gauge indicated about 1/2 tank during his preflight. He took a passenger for a 45-minute flight and landed. He reported that during the takeoff on the second flight, the airplane reached about 150 feet of altitude when the engine started to sputter and then quit. He started to turn back to the private airstrip, but the airplane started to stall to the left. He applied full right rudder and aileron. The airplane hit the ground in about a 30 degrees left wing low attitude which caused substantial damage to the fuselage and wings. The inspection of the airplane revealed that there was no fuel in the tanks.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N4610H
- Reported as
- Piper PA-17
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 17-27
- Engine
- Cont Motor A-65-A, 65 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Donald S. Duck
- Registered owner
- Donald E. Duck
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · October 16, 2009
- Departed
- Edwardsburg, MI
- Destination
- Edwardsburg, MI
- Airport
- Private Airstrip
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
- 45
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Without waivers/limitations
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 264 total · 175 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on November 2, 2010, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 828 KB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.