# NTSB CEN21LA068: Piper PA28, N5242W, French Lick, IN, November 28, 2020 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Minor injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report - Date: November 28, 2020, 13:37 local (18:37 UTC) - Place: French Lick, IN - Coordinates: 38.504267, -86.6526 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=38.5043&lon=-86.6526&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Approach](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/500) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Approach-VFR pattern base: Fuel starvation](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/191) - Highest injury: Minor injuries - Injuries: 1 minor - Status: Completed - Report: Approved by Office Director - Investigation class: Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish - NTSB office: Central Region - Parties: FAA FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 102349 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN21LA068 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/102349/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=102349 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN21LA068 ## Probable cause The pilot’s improper in-flight decision making which resulted in a total loss of engine power due to fuel starvation. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Planning/preparation: fuel planning](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02061030): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper PA-28-160, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02061030/cases.md?model=7102806), [All aircraft, 719 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02061030/cases.md) - [Info processing/decision: decision making/judgment](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041520): Personnel issues › Action/decision · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper PA-28-160, 3 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041520/cases.md?model=7102806), [All aircraft, 3,098 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041520/cases.md) - [Fluids: fuel](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071010): Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware · Fluid level (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper PA-28-160, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071010/cases.md?model=7102806), [All aircraft, 1,695 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071010/cases.md) - [Object/animal/substance: tree(s)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022020): Environmental issues › Physical environment · Contributed to outcome; cases with it: [Piper PA-28-160, 3 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022020/cases.md?model=7102806), [All aircraft, 933 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022020/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Approach-VFR pattern base: Fuel starvation](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/191) (defining event); cases with it: [Piper PA-28-160, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/191/sequence.md?model=7102806), [All aircraft, 733 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/191/sequence.md) ## Analysis The pilot reported he’d departed from his home airport on a personal flight with 8 to 9 gallons of fuel in the left tank and 6 to 7 gallons of fuel in the right tank. He planned to use the left fuel tank for most of the flight, then switch to the right tank upon returning to the airport for touch-and-go-landings. The pilot reported that he did not switch to the right tank and during the third touch-and-go landing the engine lost all power. The pilot applied carburetor heat but did not remember to switch fuel tanks. The pilot made a forced landing into a wooded area near the airport and impacted trees and terrain, during which the right wing separated from the fuselage. The left wing, aft fuselage, and empennage sustained substantial damage. ## Factual narrative The pilot departed from his home airport on a personal flight with 8 to 9 gallons of fuel in the left tank and 6 to 7 gallons of fuel in the right tank. He planned to use the left fuel tank for most of the flight, then switch to the right tank upon returning to the airport for touch-and-go-landings. The pilot stated that he did not switch to the right tank and during the third touch-and-go and the engine experienced a total loss of power. He added that he applied carburetor heat but did not remember to switch fuel tanks. The pilot made a forced landing into a wooded area near the airport. The accident is consistent with a total loss of power due to fuel starvation. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N5242W](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N5242W-2021-02-10), registration cancelled 2021-02-10, S/N 28-283, built 1962 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: PIPER PA28 (160) - Registry model: [Piper PA-28-160](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-28-160) (registry code 7102806) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming 0-320 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (registry code 41508, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 28-283 - Year built: 1962 - Airframe hours: 4345.7 - Engines: Lycoming O-320-B2B 160 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, March 31, 2020 - Departed: FRH, French Lick, IN - Airport: FRH, French Lick Municipal Airport, runway 08, 5,500 × 100 ft, asphalt - Equipment: ADS-B, Electronic flight bag or handheld device, Stall warning system ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 70; injuries: minor; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3, with waivers/limitations; seat: left; restraint: lap only; flight hours: 291 total, 177 as pilot in command, 4 in the last 90 days, 2 in the last 30 days, 1 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 250° at 3 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Temperature: 48 °F, dew point 27 °F - Altimeter: 30.21 inHg - Observed at: KHNB, 21 nm away - METAR: KHNB 281956Z AUTO 25003KT 10SM CLR 09/M03 A3021 RMK AO2 SLP233 T00941028 ## 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 20201128014839A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20201128014839A), Nov 28, 2020: Piper PA-28-160, French Lick, IN, Substantial damage. On November 28, 2020, at approximately 1:37 pm eastern daylight time (EDT), a Piper PA-28-160, N5242W, was substantially damaged during a forced landing in a… ## Docket (4 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on August 17, 2021, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=102349. 8.8 MB in all. - Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 9 pages, 6.2 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=11698149&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=6120%20-%20pilot_Redacted2-Rel.pdf - Correspondence - pilot (item 2, PDF, 1 page, 128 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=11698840&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=ROC%20-%20Pilot-Rel.pdf - Correspondence - FAA (item 3, PDF, 2 pages, 236 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=11697784&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=ROC%20-%20FAA%20with%20pilot-Rel.pdf - Photos (item 4, PDF, 5 pages, 3 photos, 2.2 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=11698203&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Docket%20Photos-Rel.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.