# NTSB CEN24LA189: Piper PA-28-180, N6571J, Hot Springs, AR, May 15, 2024

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Class 3 · Limited · Final report
- Date: May 15, 2024, 14:50 local (19:50 UTC)
- Place: Hot Springs, AR
- Coordinates: 34.478028, -93.096222 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=34.4780&lon=-93.0962&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Approach](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/500) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Defining event: [Approach: Fuel starvation](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/191)
- Highest injury: Serious injuries
- Injuries: 1 serious, 1 minor
- Status: Completed
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class: Class 3
- NTSB office: Central Region
- Parties: Piper Aircraft Inc., Lycoming Engines, Federal Aviation Administration, Little Rock FSDO
- NTSB case key (mKey): 194267
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN24LA189
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/194267/pdf
- NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=194267
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN24LA189

## Probable cause

The student pilot’s selection of an improper fuel tank selector position, which resulted in fuel starvation and a total loss of engine power. Contributing to the accident was the instructor’s inadequate oversight.

## 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 · Not specified (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper PA-28-180, 32 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071010/cases.md?model=7102808), [All aircraft, 1,695 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071010/cases.md)
- [Fuel system: fuel selector/shutoff valve](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01022823): Aircraft › Aircraft systems · Incorrect use/operation (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper PA-28-180, 6 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01022823/cases.md?model=7102808), [All aircraft, 176 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01022823/cases.md)
- [Use of equip/info: use of equip/system](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063015): Personnel issues › Task performance · Student/instructed pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper PA-28-180, 16 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063015/cases.md?model=7102808), [All aircraft, 1,391 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063015/cases.md)
- [Personnel issues](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02060000): Personnel issues › Task performance · Instructor/check pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper PA-28-180, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02060000/cases.md?model=7102808), [All aircraft, 137 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02060000/cases.md)

## Sequence of events

The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened.

- [Approach: Fuel starvation](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/191) (defining event); cases with it: [Piper PA-28-180, 17 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/191/sequence.md?model=7102808), [All aircraft, 733 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/191/sequence.md)
- [Landing: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [Piper PA-28-180, 96 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md?model=7102808), [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md)

## Analysis

The instructional flight was returning to the departure airport for landing when the student pilot changed the fuel tank selector position in preparation for landing. While flying the approach, the flight instructor told the student pilot to add engine power; however, the engine exhibited a total loss of engine power. The flight instructor took over the flight controls, and the airplane impacted a vacant area in a residential neighborhood. The airplane was destroyed by impact forces and postcrash fire. Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed that the fuel selector valve did not intersect the valve body port positions. With the fuel selector valve between port positions, fuel cannot flow downstream to the engine. There were no other preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.

## Factual narrative

On May 15, 2024, at 1450 central daylight time, a Piper PA-28-180, N6571J, was destroyed when it was involved in an accident near Hot Springs, Arkansas. The flight instructor sustained serious injuries, and the student pilot sustained minor injuries. The airplane was operated under Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations as a Part 91 instructional flight. The flight instructor and student pilot had completed flight maneuvers as part of the instructional flight before returning from the practice area to the departure airport for a visual approach and landing. The flight instructor said that the student pilot made a fuel tank selection change while they performed the descent checklist. The student pilot was flying the approach when the flight instructor told the student pilot to add engine power, but the engine exhibited a total loss of engine power. The flight instructor took over the flight controls, and the airplane impacted a vacant area in a residential neighborhood. The airplane was destroyed by impact forces and postcrash fire. Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed that the fuel selector valve did not intersect any of the valve body ports. With the fuel selector valve between port positions, fuel was unable to flow downstream to the engine. There were no other preacccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N6571J](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N6571J), registered now, S/N 28-5024, built 1968 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA-28-180
- Registry model: [Piper PA-28-180](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-28-180) (registry code 7102808) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Lycoming O&VO-360 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-o-vo-360-series) (registry code 41514, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 28-5024
- Year built: 1968
- Airframe hours: 3859.8
- Engines: Lycoming O-360-A4A 180 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Destroyed
- Fire: On-Ground
- Flight: Instructional, Part 91
- Operator: Lord Aviation
- Registered owner: Lima Alpha
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Utility
- Last inspection: Annual, March 20, 2024
- Destination: Same as departure
- Airport: HOT, Memorial Field Airport, runway 23, 6,595 × 150 ft, asphalt
- Equipment: Stall warning system, Auto-pilot

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 42; injuries: serious; flight instructor, commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1; last flight review November 7, 2022; seat: right; flight hours: 698 total
- Student pilot; age 19; injuries: minor; student; medical: class 3, with waivers/limitations; seat: left; flight hours: 18 total

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: variable at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Temperature: 84 °F, dew point 57 °F
- Altimeter: 29.84 inHg
- Observed at: HOT, 0.71 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 20240515014239A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20240515014239A), May 15, 2024: Piper PA-28-180, Hot Springs, AR, Substantial damage. On 5/15/2024 at approximately 14:00 CST aircraft a Piper PA-28-180 departed on runway 23 (khot) for an instruction flight. The aircraft flew for approximately…

## Docket (7 files)

The files NTSB released with the investigation on February 20, 2025, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=194267. 56.3 MB in all.

- Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 1 page, 69 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=17808037&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=National%20Transportation%20Safety%20Board%20Accident%20Report%20Form%206120,%20Piper%20N6571J_Redacted-Rel.pdf
- Records of conversation (item 2, PDF, 17 pages, 152 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=18313933&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Records%20of%20Conversation-Rel.pdf
- Record of examination (item 3, PDF, 2 pages, 74 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=17861651&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Record%20of%20Examination%20ver2-Rel.pdf
- Memorandum for record a�� fuel selector position examination (item 4, PDF, 2 pages, 304 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=17811219&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=ROC%20Fuel%20Selector%20Position-Rel.pdf
- Photos (item 5, PDF, 3 pages, 1.2 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=17923826&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Photo%20Template-Rel.pdf
- Maintenance records - airframe (item 6, PDF, 9 pages, 26.7 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=17953790&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Airframe%20MX%20Logbook%20-%20N6571J_Redacted-Rel.pdf
- Maintenance records - engine logbook (item 7, PDF, 9 pages, 27.8 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=17953315&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Engine%20MX%20Logbook%20-%20N6571J_Redacted-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.

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