# NTSB CHI08LA006: Piper PA-28-151, N43246, Festus, MO, October 8, 2007 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Fatal · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: October 8, 2007, 07:47 local (12:47 UTC) - Place: Festus, MO - Coordinates: 38.20222, -90.386665 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=38.2022&lon=-90.3867&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Approach](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/500) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: Fatal - Injuries: 1 fatal - Status: Completed, report May 28, 2008 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: Federal Aviation Administration, Textron Lycoming, The New Piper Aircraft, Inc. - NTSB case key (mKey): 66918 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CHI08LA006 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/66918/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI08LA006 ## Probable cause The pilot's inadequate aircraft preflight, fuel system water contamination and fuel starvation which resulted in a loss of engine power during landing approach. An additional cause was the emergency landing procedure not followed by the pilot following a loss of engine power. Contributing to the accident were the trees, and night light conditions. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of engine power, approach - fuel system - contamination,water (contributing factor) - aircraft preflight - inadequate, pilot in command (cause) - fluid,fuel - exhaustion (cause) - In flight collision with object, emergency descent/landing - object - tree(s) (contributing factor) - emergency procedure - not performed, pilot in command (cause) - light condition - night (contributing factor) - In flight collision with terrain/water, descent - uncontrolled ## Analysis The airplane impacted trees in a wooded area on a hill while reportedly en route to a destination airport located approximately 1.5 miles from the accident site. The wooded area was adjacent to a clearing and pasture. Both wings of the airplane were separated from the airframe and possessed damage consistent with tree strikes. Examination of the wreckage revealed the left wing fuel tank was empty and the right wing fuel tank contained approximately one cup of water and one quart of aviation fuel. The right wing fuel line at the wing root contained approximately one teaspoon of water and one teaspoon of aviation fuel. The electric fuel pump and gascolator contained water. There was no liquid in the carburetor bowl. Damage to the propeller was consistent with no engine power. The engine operated with no anomalies that would have precluded normal operation during a post accident engine run. The airplane flaps were in the fully retracted position and not in the extended position which is indicated for a forced landing. ## Factual narrative On October 8, 2007, about 0747 central daylight time, a Piper PA-28-151, N43246, owned and piloted by a private pilot, was found with substantial damage in a field approximately 1.5 miles southeast of Festus Memorial Airport, Festus (FES), Missouri. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The personal flight was operating under 14 CFR Part 91. The private pilot sustained fatal injuries. The flight originated from Marion, Illinois, at an unknown time and was en route to FES. According to the pilot's wife, the pilot left home at 0530 and would have arrived at his destination between 0630 and 0645. Witnesses reported seeing broken tree branches near the accident site and did not observe the airplane impact the ground. A witness who drove past the accident site about 0640 said there was fog present. The airplane was resting on a hill in a wooded area which contained several broken branches along the wreckage path of the airplane. The wooded area was adjacent to a clearing and pasture. Both wings of the airplane were separated from the airframe and possessed leading edge damage consistent with tree strikes. Examination of the wreckage by the Federal Aviation Administration revealed that the left wing fuel tank was empty and the right wing fuel tank contained approximately one cup of water and one quart of aviation fuel. The right wing fuel line at the wing root contained approximately one teaspoon of water and one teaspoon of aviation fuel. The electric fuel pump and gascolator contained water. There was no liquid in the carburetor bowl. The propeller was attached to the engine. One propeller blade was not deformed and the other blade exhibited a rearward deformation of 20-30 degrees. There was no leading edge or chord wise damage consistent with engine power. The flap handle and the flap torque tube position was consistent with a zero degree flap setting. A post accident engine run was performed under the supervision of the FAA. The engine operated with no anomalies that would have precluded normal operation. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N43246](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N43246-2012-11-21), registration cancelled 2012-11-21, S/N 28-7415454, built 1974 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Piper PA-28-151 - Registry model: [Piper PA-28-151](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-28-151) (registry code 7102805) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming 0-320 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (registry code 41508, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 28-7415454 - Airframe hours: 4632.8 - Engines: Lycoming O-320-D3G reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: Pilot - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, March 1, 2007, 160 hours before - Departed: MWA, Marion, IL - Destination: FES, Festus, MO - Airport: FES, Festus Memorial Airport, ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 46; injuries: serious; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3; last flight review September 1, 2006; seat: left; flight hours: 327 total, 246 as pilot in command, 54 in the last 90 days, 13 in the last 30 days ## Weather - Conditions: Night - Wind: 170° at 3 knots - Visibility: 7 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 63 °F, dew point 61 °F - Altimeter: 30.00 inHg - Observed at: CPS, 25 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 20071008823809A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20071008823809A), Oct 8, 2007: Piper PA28151, Festus, MO, Destroyed, 1 fatal. (-23) On October 8, 2007 at approximately 05:45 hrs (local) the pilot [privacy data omitted] departed the williams county airport (kmwa) for a personal flight… 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.