# NTSB CHI02LA048: Piper PA-38-112, N2492K, O'Neill, NE, December 9, 2001 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: December 9, 2001, 16:45 local (22:45 UTC) - Place: O'Neill, NE - Coordinates: 42.45935, -98.640068 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=42.4594&lon=-98.6401&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report July 15, 2002 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: FAA-Lincoln, Nebraska-FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 53950 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CHI02LA048 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/53950/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI02LA048 ## Probable cause The inadequate preflight planning by the pilot resulting in the exhaustion of the fuel supply, and the pilot not maintaining directional control during the forced landing. A factor was the unsuitable landing area selected by the pilot, and the ditch. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of engine power(total) - nonmechanical, cruise - fluid,fuel - exhaustion (cause) - preflight planning/preparation - inadequate, pilot in command (cause) - Forced landing, emergency descent/landing - On ground/water encounter with terrain/water, emergency descent/landing - directional control - not maintained, pilot in command (cause) - unsuitable terrain or takeoff/landing/taxi area - selected, pilot in command (contributing factor) - terrain condition - ditch (contributing factor) ## Analysis The airplane sustained substantial damage during a forced landing on a narrow road following a loss of engine power. The pilot was attempting to land on a gravel road when the airplane went into a ditch. The pilot said that the engine began running rough and he switched tanks. He said that switching tanks, "...resulted in further trouble with engine performance." He said that he selected a road to land on and was landing to the south. He said that the landing was hard and the left main wheel, "...caught the edge of the roadside resulting in the plane being pulled down into the left ditch and over onto its nose." A postaccident examination of the airplane revealed only unusable fuel within the tanks. No other anomalies were found with respect to the airplane or its systems that could be associated with a pre-impact condition. ## Factual narrative On December 9, 2001, about 1645 central standard time, a Piper PA-38-112, N2492K, piloted by a private pilot, sustained substantial damage during a forced landing following a loss of engine power near O'Neill, Nebraska. The pilot was attempting to land on a gravel road when the airplane went into a ditch. The 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight was not on a flight plan and was operating in visual meteorological conditions. The pilot, who was the sole occupant, was not injured. The flight originated from the Crystal Airport, Minneapolis, Minnesota, at an undetermined time. The pilot reported in a written statement that he departed the Crystal Airport, Minneapolis, Minnesota, and was en route to the O'Neill Municipal-John L. Baker Airport (ONL), O'Neill, Nebraska for a fuel stop. The pilot's final destination was the Centennial Airport, Littleton, Colorado. He said that when he was about 12 miles northeast of ONL the engine began to "sputter" and he switched the fuel selector from the right fuel tank to the left fuel tank. He said that the left tank selection , "...resulted in further trouble with engine performance." He said that he selected a road to land on and was landing to the south. He said that the landing was hard and the left main wheel, "...caught the edge of the roadside resulting in the plane being pulled down into the left ditch and over onto its nose." He said that the road was narrow. A postaccident examination of the airplane by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector revealed only unusable fuel within the tanks. No other anomalies were found with respect to the airplane or its systems that could be associated with a pre-impact condition. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N2492K](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N2492K-2017-04-07), registration cancelled 2017-04-07, S/N 38-79A0665, built 1979 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Piper PA-38-112 - Registry model: [Piper PA-38-112](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-38-112) (registry code 7103812) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming 0-235 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-235-series) (registry code 41505, 4 cycle) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 38-79A0665 - Airframe hours: 4966 - Engines: Lycoming O-235-L2C 112 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, March 1, 2001, 65 hours before - Departed: MIC, MINNEAPOLIS, MN - Destination: ONL, O NEILL, NE ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 36; injuries: none; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; last flight review October 16, 2001; seat: left; flight hours: 92 total, 35 in this make and model, 34 as pilot in command, 18 in the last 90 days, 3 in the last 30 days, 0 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 190° at 10 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 48 °F, dew point 19 °F - Altimeter: 29.79 inHg - Observed at: ONL, 10 nm away 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.