# NTSB CHI97LA052: Piper PA-24-250, N6495P, Franklin, MN, January 13, 1997 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: January 12, 1997, 20:15 local (Jan 13, 1997, 02:15 UTC) - Place: Franklin, MN - Coordinates: 44.739456, -94.710235 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=44.7395&lon=-94.7102&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 3 uninjured - Status: Completed, report February 15, 2000 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 10507 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CHI97LA052 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/10507/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI97LA052 ## Probable cause The pilot's inadequate inflight planning and his fuel mismanagement, which resulted in fuel exhaustion and the loss of engine power. A contributing factor with this accident was a frost blocked cockpit windshield. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of engine power(total) - nonmechanical, cruise - fluid,fuel - exhaustion - fuel management - inadequate, pilot in command (cause) - in-flight planning/decision - inadequate, pilot in command - Forced landing, emergency descent/landing - window,flight compartment window/windshield - frost (contributing factor) - light condition - bright night - Hard landing, landing - flare/touchdown - window,flight compartment window/windshield - frost - light condition - bright night ## Analysis During cruise flight on a bright night the pilot said the airplane '...experienced a noticeable drop in manifold pressure... the engine lost power and began to backfire... different power settings didn't help.' The pilot said the inside of the airplane's windshield frosted up after the engine lost power. He said he used the side window and landing lights as an aid for landing. According to the pilot he decided to land in a field next to the road on which he was going to land because of powerlines. The on-scene investigation revealed no fuel in the fuel tanks or electric fuel pump. The engine was test run to the manufacturer's specifications once fuel was added to the airplane. ## Factual narrative On January 12, 1997, at 2015 central standard time (cst), a Piper PA-24-250, N6495P, piloted by a private pilot, was substantially damaged during an off airport hard landing following a total loss of power while in cruise flight. The personal 14 CFR Part 91 flight was not operating on a flight plan. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The pilot and two passengers reported no injuries. The flight departed Sheridan, Wyoming, at 1600 cst. During an interview with the pilot, he said the flight was operating in bright night co ditions. According to the pilot's written statement, "... I experienced a noticeable drop in manifold pressure and within moments the engine began to run rough, I applied carb heat at the first sign of power loss... I elected to climb in order to get as much altitude as possible. The engine lost power and began to backfire. I tried different power settings but it didn't help. We continued to have backfiring and engine surging, and the power became too low to maintain level flight." The pilot said the total loss of power resulted in having the inside of the windshield frost up. He said, "...our forward visibility was eliminated." The pilot said he used the side window and landing lights as aids for landing. He said the road he had chosen for the landing had powerlines along it. "I elected to put us down in the field next to the road." The on-scene investigation revealed wrinkled fuselage bulkheads from the firewall to the wing's trailing edge. The forward fuselage was buckled downward at the bottom of the windshield, and behind the cockpit entrance door. Multiple wrinkles were observed on the top of the wing. The main landing gear had sheared off at their mounts. The fuel tanks were empty. The fuel system was not damaged. The electric fuel pump chamber did not have any fuel in it. A Federal Aviation Principal Maintenance Inspector (PMI) conducted the on-scene investigation for the NTSB. According to the PMI, 5 gallons of fuel were added to N6495P's wing fuel tanks. The PMI said the engine was test run on the airframe. The PMI said the engine ran to the manufacturer's performance specifications. He said the fuel selector worked at all positions during the engine test run. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N6495P](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N6495P), registered now, S/N 24-1615 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: PIPER PA-24-250 - Registry model: [Piper PA-24-250](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-24-250) (registry code 7102404) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming 0-540 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-540-series) (registry code 41532, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 24-165 - Airframe hours: 4425 - Engines: LYCOMING O-540-A1C5 250 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: Noel Davis - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, November 15, 1996, 14 hours before - Departed: SHR, SHERIDAN, WY - Destination: 1D6 - Flight plan: Unknown ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 38; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; seat: left; flight hours: 340 total, 13 in this make and model, 260 as pilot in command, 13 in the last 90 days, 12 in the last 30 days, 9 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Night/bright - Wind: 200° at 15 knots - Visibility: 15 statute miles - Temperature: -0 °F ## 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 19970112000859A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19970112000859A), Jan 12, 1997: Piper PA24250, Franklin, MN, Substantial damage. Carb icing at cruise. Applied partial carb heat and leaned mixture. Contrary to manuel. Engine quit. Fuel exhaustion (-23) at 4000' AGL near redwood falls, MN,… 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.