# NTSB CEN12LA182: Piper PA-22-150, N6849B, East Troy, WI, March 5, 2012 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: March 5, 2012, 14:30 local (20:30 UTC) - Place: East Troy, WI - Coordinates: 42.780593, -88.390747 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=42.7806&lon=-88.3907&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Enroute: Fuel exhaustion](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/192) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report August 13, 2013 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Central Region - Parties: Federal Aviation Adminstration - NTSB case key (mKey): 83069 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN12LA182 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/83069/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=83069 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN12LA182 ## Probable cause The pilot's inadequate fuel management, which resulted in a total loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Action: incorrect action performance](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041015): Personnel issues › Action/decision · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper PA-22-150, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041015/cases.md?model=7102210), [All aircraft, 1,386 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041015/cases.md) - [Fluids: fuel](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071010): Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware · Fluid management (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper PA-22-150, 9 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071010/cases.md?model=7102210), [All aircraft, 1,695 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071010/cases.md) - [Fluids: fuel](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071010): Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware · Fluid level (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper PA-22-150, 9 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071010/cases.md?model=7102210), [All aircraft, 1,695 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071010/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Enroute: Fuel exhaustion](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/192) (defining event); cases with it: [Piper PA-22-150, 3 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/192/sequence.md?model=7102210), [All aircraft, 804 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/192/sequence.md) - [Enroute: Loss of engine power (total)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341); cases with it: [Piper PA-22-150, 11 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341/sequence.md?model=7102210), [All aircraft, 3,820 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341/sequence.md) - [Emergency descent: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [Piper PA-22-150, 41 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md?model=7102210), [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md) ## Analysis The pilot was en route to his destination airport after having made an intermediary stop at another airport when the engine experienced a total loss of engine power, and the pilot performed a forced landing. Examination of the airplane revealed that there was no usable fuel present and there were no fuel system leaks. ## Factual narrative On March 5, 2012, about 1430 central standard time, a Piper PA-22-150, N6849B, experienced a total loss of engine power during cruise flight. The pilot subsequently made an off airport forced landing to a field near East Troy, Wisconsin. The certificated private pilot was uninjured. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the firewall. The airplane was registered to and operated by the pilot under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and a flight plan had not been filed for the flight that departed from Ephraim-Gibraltar Airport (3D2), Ephraim, Wisconsin, destined to Burlington Municipal Airport (BUU), Burlington, Wisconsin. The pilot stated that the airplane was fueled at BUU and had 44 gallons aboard prior to departure. After about 1:40 hours of flight time, he landed at 3D2. He then departed for BUU and after about 1:15 hours of flight time, the engine quit. He positioned the fuel selector to the left fuel tank and the engine restarted and then ran for about 30 second and quit. During the descent for a forced landing, the engine was able to be restarted using "short bursts" by hand pumping the accelerator pump and the primer pump. The airplane landed short of the field that the pilot planned to land on. Examination of the airplane by the Federal Aviation Administration revealed that none of the airplane fuel tanks contained usable fuel, and there was no evidence of fuel leak. The pilot's flight review was expired at the time of the accident. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N6849B](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N6849B), registered now, S/N 22-4148 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: PIPER PA-22-150 - Registry model: [Piper PA-22-150](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-22-150) (registry code 7102210) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming 0-320 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (registry code 41508, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 22-4148 - Engines: Lycoming O-320 150 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Operator: Pilot - Registered owner: Pilot - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Departed: 3D2, Ephraim, WI - Destination: BUU, Burlington, WI ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 59; injuries: none; private; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 3, with waivers/limitations; seat: left; flight hours: 952 total, 371 in this make and model, 4 in the last 90 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 190° at 9 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 28 °F, dew point 19 °F - Altimeter: 30.30 inHg - Observed at: BUU, 7 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 (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20120305003459A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20120305003459A), Mar 5, 2012: Piper PA-22-150, Mukwonago, WI, Substantial damage. March 5, 2012 at approximately 1417 local time N6849B a 1956 Piper PA-22-150 enroute from ephraim Wisconsin (3D2) to burlington Wisconsin (buu) experienced a… ## Other investigations on N6849B (1) From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. - [NTSB CEN20LA329](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN20LA329), Aug 9, 2020: Piper PA22 (N6849B), Burlington, WI, substantial damage. Probable cause: A partial loss of engine power due to the formation of carburetor ice while on the ground, which resulted in reduced climb capability and impact with trees during the initial climb. ## Docket (2 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on May 30, 2013, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=83069. 717 KB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 694 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40385932&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Redacted.PDF - Record of Examination (item 2, .PDF, 23 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40385936&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Record%20of%20Examination-Master.PDF From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.