# NTSB CEN22LA135: Piper PA-28-235, N5078M, Monee, IL, March 5, 2022 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Minor injuries · Class 3 · Limited · Final report - Date: March 5, 2022, 12:00 local (18:00 UTC) - Place: Monee, IL - Coordinates: 41.377417, -87.67975 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=41.3774&lon=-87.6797&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Enroute-climb to cruise: 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 3 - NTSB office: Central Region - Parties: Federal Aviation Administration; Greater Chicago FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 104730 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN22LA135 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/104730/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=104730 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN22LA135 ## Probable cause The loss of engine power due to fuel starvation for undetermined reasons during a departure climb that resulted in a forced landing and impact with terrain. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Fluids: fuel](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071010): Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware · Fluid level (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper PA-28-235, 8 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071010/cases.md?model=7102810), [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-climb to cruise: Fuel starvation](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/191) (defining event); cases with it: [Piper PA-28-235, 9 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/191/sequence.md?model=7102810), [All aircraft, 733 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/191/sequence.md) - [Enroute-cruise: Loss of engine power (total)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341); cases with it: [Piper PA-28-235, 16 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341/sequence.md?model=7102810), [All aircraft, 3,820 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341/sequence.md) - [Landing: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [Piper PA-28-235, 35 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md?model=7102810), [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md) ## Analysis The pilot of the personal flight planned to remain in the departure airport’s traffic pattern. During the departure climb, the airplane experienced a loss of engine power. The pilot preformed a forced landing on a field, and the airplane sustained substantial damage on impact with terrain to the engine mount. The pilot stated that he had the fuel selector positioned to the left main fuel tank for the flight. Postaccident examination revealed 16 gallons of fuel in the left main fuel tank. Minimal fuel was found in the engine carburetor bowl, and no fuel in the fuel line leading to the carburetor, which was consistent with fuel starvation to the engine. There were no mechanical anomalies identified that would have precluded normal engine operation. ## Factual narrative On March 5, 2022, about 1200 central daylight time, a Piper PA-28-235, N5078M, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Monee, Illinois. The private pilot sustained minor injuries. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. The pilot stated that the flight was to remain in the departure airport traffic pattern. During the departure climb, the engine lost power. He said that he checked the position of the throttle, mixture, and the magnetos. He then made a 180º turn to return to the departure airport and during the approach to the airport, he determined that the airplane was unable to make it back to the airport. He landed the airplane on a field, and the airplane sustained substantial damage on impact with terrain to engine mount. Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed that the left tip fuel tank contained about 0.18 gallons of fuel, the left main fuel tank contained about 16 gallons of fuel, the right tip fuel tank contained no useable fuel, and the right main fuel tank contained about 6.5 gallons of fuel. The airplane battery switch was turned on, and the fuel gauge indications were as follows: left tip tank – 0 gallons, the left main tank – 5 gallons, the right tip tank – 0 gallons, the right main tank – 0 gallons. The pilot stated that he had the fuel selector on the left main fuel tank but moved it to the OFF position after the accident. The carburetor was disassembled, and the carburetor bowl contained about 0.4 inch of fuel. There was no fuel in the fuel line leading to the carburetor. No mechanical anomalies were identified during the postaccident examination that would have precluded normal engine operation. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N5078M](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N5078M), registered now, S/N 28-10111, built 1963 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: PIPER PA-28-235 - Registry model: [Piper PA-28-235](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-28-235) (registry code 7102810) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming 0-540 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-540-series) (registry code 41532, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 28-10111 - Year built: 1963 - Airframe hours: 4247.8 - Engines: Lycoming O-540 235 hp reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: Pilot - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: 100 hour, July 1, 2021 - Destination: Same as departure - Airport: C56, Bult Field Airport, runway 27, 5,000 × 75 ft, concrete - Equipment: ADS-B ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 67; injuries: minor; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3, with waivers/limitations; last flight review July 30, 2020; seat: left; flight hours: 643 total, 300 in this make and model, 20 in the last 90 days, 0 in the last 30 days, 0 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 190° at 13 knots - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 63 °F, dew point 43 °F - Altimeter: 29.91 inHg - Observed at: IGQ, 11 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 20220305003669A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20220305003669A), Mar 5, 2022: Piper PA-28-235, Monee, IL, Substantial damage. On 03/05/2022, at approximately 1200 CDT, the pilot in charge (PIC) of N5078M, a Piper PA-28-235, serial number 28-10 departed runway 27 at Bult field, Monee,… ## Docket (5 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on June 28, 2023, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=104730. 3.5 MB in all. - Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 11 pages, 2.1 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=13627810&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=6120%20Master_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Record of correspondence - FAA (item 2, PDF, 2 pages, 117 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=13643546&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=RECORD%20OF%20CORRESPONDENCE%20-%20FAA-Rel.pdf - Record of correspondence - FAA followup (item 3, PDF, 1 page, 104 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=13794755&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=RECORD%20OF%20CONVERSATION%20-%20FAA%202-Rel.pdf - Record of correspondence - Piper aircraft (item 4, PDF, 1 page, 108 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=13789638&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=RECORD%20OF%20CORRESPONDENCE%20-%20Piper%20Aircraft-Rel.pdf - Photo log (item 5, PDF, 4 pages, 1.2 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=13631522&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Photo%20Log-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.