# NTSB CHI02LA114: Piper PA-28-161, N563PU, Lafayette, IN, April 23, 2002 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: April 23, 2002, 18:30 local (23:30 UTC) - Place: Lafayette, IN - Coordinates: 40.440219, -86.90921 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=40.4402&lon=-86.9092&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Approach](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/500) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report April 18, 2003 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: FAA - NTSB case key (mKey): 54586 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CHI02LA114 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/54586/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=54586 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI02LA114 ## Probable cause The pilot's improper fuel management resulting in the total loss of engine power due to fuel starvation and the pilot's failure to use the checklist. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of engine power(total) - nonmechanical, approach - fuel management - improper, pilot in command (cause) - checklist - not followed, pilot in command (cause) - fuel system - starvation (cause) - Forced landing, emergency descent/landing - Nose over, landing - roll ## Analysis The airplane received sustained substantial damage when it nosed over during a forced landing to a golf course 3 miles north of the destination airport. The student pilot reported she was flying a solo cross-country instructional flight. She departed at 1600 EST and had landed at another airport, but had not refueled. She departed and was en route to the destination airport. The pilot reported she was cleared to land on runway 23 and was number three for landing when the engine lost power. Her altitude was about 1,600 feet MSL and she preformed an emergency landing to a golf course. During the landing rollout, the airplane nosed over. The time of the accident was 1830 EST. The pilot reported, "If I were enabled to fly again, I would remember to switch my fuel tanks (as it says on the check lists). I would not rely on habit but on the lists which are given me for the purpose of not relying on habit." The inspection of the airplane revealed no fuel in the right tank and full fuel in the left tank. The fuel selector was found in the right tank position. The engine run was performed and the engine ran with no anomalies. ## Factual narrative On April 23, 2002, at 1830 eastern standard time, a Piper PA-28-161, N563PU, operated by Purdue University, sustained substantial damage when it nosed over during a forced landing to a golf course 3 miles north of the Purdue University Airport (LAF), Lafayette, Indiana. The student pilot was not injured. The 14 CFR Part 91 solo cross country instructional flight was cleared to land on runway 23 at LAF when the airplane experienced a loss of engine power. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident and a visual flight rules (VFR) flight plan was filed. The pilot reported she had departed LAF at 1600 on the solo cross country flight and had landed at FWA, but had not refueled. She departed FWA en route to LAF. She attempted to contact the LAF tower for a landing clearance when she was 10 miles northeast of the airport. She continued inbound but flew a holding pattern until she was cleared into the LAF Class D airspace. The tower cleared the airplane to land on runway 23 and informed the pilot she was number three for landing. The pilot reported the engine quit and that her altitude was about 1,600 feet msl. She reported she did an emergency landing to a golf course. During the landing rollout, the airplane nosed over. The pilot reported, "If I were enabled to fly again, I would remember to switch my fuel tanks (as it says on the check lists). I would not rely on habit but on the lists which are given me for the purpose of not relying on habit." Inspectors from the Federal Aviation Administration inspected the airplane. The inspection of the airplane revealed no fuel in the right tank and full fuel in the left tank. The fuel selector was found in the right tank position. An engine run was performed and the engine ran with no anomalies. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N563PU](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N563PU), registered now, S/N 2842105, built 2000 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Piper PA-28-161 - Registry model: [Piper PA-28-161](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-28-161) (registry code 7102803) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming 0-320 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (registry code 41508, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 2842105 - Airframe hours: 1186 - Engines: Lycoming O-320-D3G 160 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Instructional, Part 91 - Registered owner: Trustees of Purdue University - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Continuous airworthiness, April 17, 2002, 11 hours before - Departed: FWA, Fort Wayne, IN - Destination: LAF, Lafayette, IN - Flight plan: VFR - Airport: LAF, Purdue Airport ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Student pilot; age 24; injuries: none; student; medical: class 1, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; seat: left; flight hours: 48 total, 48 in this make and model, 6 as pilot in command, 42 in the last 90 days, 18 in the last 30 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 150° at 10 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 61 °F, dew point 43 °F - Altimeter: 30.11 inHg - Observed at: LAF, 3 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 20020423010859A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20020423010859A), Apr 23, 2002: Piper PA28161, Lafayette, IN, No damage. (-23) See #43 for narrative. (.19) on April 23, 2002, at 1829 eastern standard time, a Piper PA-28-161, N563PU, operated by Purdue University, sustained… ## Docket (1 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on February 13, 2003, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=54586. 405 KB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 405 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40432525&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Redacted.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.