# NTSB CHI08LA215: Piper PA-12, N4361M, Rio Grande, NJ, July 26, 2008 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: July 26, 2008, 17:45 local (21:45 UTC) - Place: Rio Grande, NJ - Coordinates: 39.020629, -74.869674 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=39.0206&lon=-74.8697&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Maneuvering](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/450) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Maneuvering: Fuel exhaustion](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/192) - Highest injury: Serious injuries - Injuries: 1 serious - Status: Completed, report August 12, 2010 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: Federal Aviation Administration FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 68532 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CHI08LA215 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/68532/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=68532 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI08LA215 ## Probable cause A total loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion as a result of the pilot's inadequate fuel management. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Planning/preparation: performance calculations](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02061010): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper PA-12, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02061010/cases.md?model=7101202), [All aircraft, 114 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02061010/cases.md) - [Fluids: fuel](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071010): Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware · Fluid level (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper PA-12, 10 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071010/cases.md?model=7101202), [All aircraft, 1,695 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071010/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Maneuvering: Fuel exhaustion](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/192) (defining event); cases with it: [Piper PA-12, 6 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/192/sequence.md?model=7101202), [All aircraft, 804 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/192/sequence.md) ## Analysis About four hours into the banner-towing flight the engine started to sputter and lost lower. The pilot reported that his inflight fuel burn calculations were based on fuel burn data gathered during the previous month. Using these data, the pilot thought he had about 15-20 minutes of fuel remaining when the engine lost power. The pilot made a forced landing near a residential area and the airplane struck a fence, resulting in substantial damage. A Federal Aviation inspector looked at the fuel tanks at the accident site and found they were empty. The pilot stated that "in order to reduce my total flight time and land with required fuel minimums, I should have turned inland at an earlier point." ## Factual narrative On July 26, 2008, approximately 1745 eastern daylight time (edt), a Piper PA-12 Airplane, N4361M, made a forced landing, in a residential area of Rio Grande, New Jersey, after a complete loss of engine power, The airplane was substantially damaged and the commercial pilot received serious injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident and the flight was being operated under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 91 without a flight plan. The flight was for the purpose of towing a banner and had departed Lakewood, New Jersey about 1345 EDT. About four hours into the flight the engine started sputtering and eventually stopped completely. The pilot reported that at the cruise power setting used, at the time of the power loss, 15-20 minutes of fuel remained in the tanks according to calculations based on fuel burn data gathered throughout the previous month. A Federal Aviation Inspector looked at the fuel tanks at at the accident site and found them to be empty. The pilot stated in the recommendations section of the pilot report that "in order to reduce my total flight time and land with required fuel minimums, I should have turned inland at an earlier point." ## Aircraft - Registration: [N4361M](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N4361M), registered now, S/N 12-3298, built 1947 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: PIPER PA-12 - Registry model: [Piper PA-12](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-12) (registry code 7101202) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming 0-320 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (registry code 41508, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 12-3298 - Engines: LYCOMING 0-320 SERIES 180 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Operator: Paramount Air Service Inc - Registered owner: Paramount Air Service Inc - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Restricted (Special) - Destination: N12, LAKEWOOD, NJ ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 24; injuries: serious; commercial; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, without waivers/limitations; last flight review April 18, 2006; seat: center; flight hours: 499 total, 175 in this make and model, 406 as pilot in command, 186 in the last 90 days, 124 in the last 30 days, 21 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 190° at 10 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Temperature: 81 °F - Altimeter: 29.97 inHg - Observed at: KWWD, 4 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 20080726841099A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20080726841099A), Jul 26, 2008: Piper PA12, Middle Townshi, NJ, Substantial damage. (-23) On July 26, 2008, about 17:40 eastern daylight time, a Piper PA-12, registered as N4361M, was substantially damaged when it impacted a clothes pole and a… ## Other investigations on N4361M (1) 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. - [NTSB ERA12LA482](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA12LA482), Jul 26, 2012: Piper PA-12 (N4361M), Green Creek, NJ, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's inadequate fuel planning, which resulted in a total loss of engine power due to fuel starvation while maneuvering. ## Docket (1 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on June 30, 2010, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=68532. 511 KB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 511 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40331974&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.