# NTSB CHI05CA006: Piper PA-28-160, N5520W, Altoona, WI, October 18, 2004 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report - Date: October 17, 2004, 19:05 local (Oct 18, 2004, 00:05 UTC) - Place: Altoona, WI - Coordinates: 44.865833, -91.484169 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=44.8658&lon=-91.4842&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed, report December 28, 2004 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: Federal Aviation Administration - NTSB case key (mKey): 60427 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CHI05CA006 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/60427/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI05CA006 ## Probable cause The pilot's inadequate fuel management leading to the fuel starvation in the left tank during the flight's descent. A factor was the impacted power line. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of engine power(partial) - nonmechanical, descent - fuel management - inadequate, pilot in command (cause) - fluid,fuel - starvation (cause) - Forced landing, emergency descent/landing - In flight collision with object, emergency descent/landing - object - wire,transmission (contributing factor) - In flight collision with terrain/water, emergency descent/landing - terrain condition - ground ## Analysis The airplane sustained substantial damage on impact with a power line and terrain during a forced landing following an in-flight loss of engine power. The pilot stated, "Departed KLNR at 5:55 for Eau Claire airport to drop [the passenger] off and was still flying off the left tank." The pilot reported no mechanical malfunctions with the airplane in reference to the flight and his safety recommendation was "maybe fuel exhaustion." During an on-scene examination of the wreckage, 12.5 gallons of fuel was found in the right tank and approximately a pint of fuel in the left tank. ## Factual narrative On October 17, 2004, about 1905 central daylight time, a Piper PA-28-160, N5520W, piloted by a private pilot, sustained substantial damage on impact with a power line and terrain during a forced landing near Altoona, Wisconsin, following an in-flight loss of engine power. The personal flight was operating under 14 CFR Part 91. Night visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. No flight plan was on file. The pilot and passenger reported no injuries. The flight originated at 1755 from the Tri-County Regional Airport (LNR), near Lone Rock, Wisconsin, and was on its descent to the Chippewa Valley Regional Airport (EAU), near Eau Claire, Wisconsin, at the time of the loss of engine power. The pilot's accident report stated: Departed KLNR at 5:55 for Eau Claire airport to drop [the passenger] off and was still flying off the left tank. Flying between KLNR and KEAU was pretty smooth, but a little turbulence hear and there. 10 miles out from KEAU I began my desent to traffic pattern altitude from my cruise flight at 4,500 [feet above Mean Sea Level]. While doing my descent I listened to KEAU's weather frequency and found it was fine to land there. There was also some light rain. Announced my intentions to land on runway 22. At around 5 miles out and 300 feet above traffic pattern the RPM's went down to less that 1000 RPMs in about 2 seconds. I pushed the throttle in and out and the engine did not respond at all. Then I turned my carb heat on. Checked to see mixture was rich and it was. ... I switched fuel selector to the right tank and the engine didn't respond and shortly after the engine stopped ... . The pilot reported no mechanical malfunctions with the airplane in reference to the flight and his safety recommendation was "maybe fuel exhaustion." During an on-scene examination of the wreckage, a Federal Aviation Administration Inspector found 12.5 gallons of fuel in the right tank and approximately a pint of fuel in the left tank. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N5520W](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N5520W-2006-03-15), registration cancelled 2006-03-15, S/N 28-610, built 1962 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Piper PA-28-160 - 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: 28-610 - Airframe hours: 1881.1 - Engines: Lycoming O-320-D2A 160 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: Louis W. Paffel - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, October 8, 2004, 19.1 hours before - Departed: LNR, LONE ROCK, WI - Destination: EAU, EAU CLAIRE, WI ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 20; injuries: none; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3, unknown; last flight review February 25, 2004; seat: left; flight hours: 85 total, 9 in this make and model, 52 as pilot in command, 14 in the last 90 days, 7 in the last 30 days, 4 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Night/dark - Wind: 200° at 3 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 7,000 ft overcast - Temperature: 43 °F, dew point 34 °F - Altimeter: 29.88 inHg - Observed at: EAU ## 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 20041017025759A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20041017025759A), Oct 17, 2004: Piper PA28160, Altoona, WI, Substantial damage. (-23) The pilot stated: he arrived at the menomonee, WI airport at approximately 10:40 EDT on 10/17/2004. The pilot performed a preflight inspection and had… 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.