- Date
- November 20, 2005, 10:30 local (15:30 UTC)
- Place
- Batavia, OH
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N3425RPiper PA-28-180
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report October 3, 2006
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- Cincinnati FSDO
- FAA report
- 20051120032159A
- Case key
- 62894
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The loss of engine power due to fuel starvation and improper fuel management by the pilot while on approach. Contributing factors were the low altitude and unsuitable terrain encountered during an emergency landing.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
The airplane impacted a field during a forced landing after a total loss of engine power about 500 feet above ground level and while on approach to the destination airport. Examination of the airplane revealed that the left fuel tank was empty and the right fuel tank was half full. The fuel selector was positioned to the right fuel tank and the auxiliary fuel pump switch was in the off position. Examination of the engine did not note any mechanical anomalies that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
On November 20, 2005, at 1030 eastern standard time, a Piper PA-28-180, N3425R, owned and piloted by a private pilot, received substantial damage on impact with terrain during a forced landing three statute miles northeast from Clermont County Airport (I69), Batavia, Ohio. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight was not operating on a flight plan. The pilot was uninjured. The local flight originated from I69 at 0915.
The pilot stated that while on approach and approximately 2 miles from I69, the airplane experienced a total loss of engine power about 500 feet above ground level. The pilot then performed a forced landing on an agricultural field.
Examination of the airplane by the Federal Aviation Administration revealed that the left fuel tank did not contain usable fuel and the right fuel tank was 1/2 full with 100 low lead aviation fuel. Compression was noted on all cylinders. Engine mechanical and electrical continuity was confirmed. The fuel selector was positioned to the right fuel tank and the auxiliary fuel pump switch was in the off position.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N3425R
- Reported as
- Piper PA-28-180
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 28-5674
- Airframe hours
- 5,907
- Engine
- Lycoming O-360-A4A, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Pilot
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · October 1, 2005
- Departed
- I69 · Batavia, OH
- Destination
- I69 · Batavia, OH
- Airport
- I69 · Clermont County Airport
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 49
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3
- Last flight review
- July 1, 2005
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 890 total · 700 in this make and model · 850 as pilot in command · 15 in the last 90 days · 6 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 190° at 8 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 54 °F, dew point 30 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.22 inHg
- Observed at
- LUK, 10 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.