- Date
- December 16, 1997, 18:15 local (Dec 17, 1997, 00:15 UTC)
- Place
- Wichita, KS
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N6377LPiper PA-24-250
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Dusk
- Status
- Completed · report May 4, 1998
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19971216038999A
- Case key
- 10807
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 pilot-in-command misjudged the fuel supply and selected an empty fuel tank which resulted in fuel exhaustion. A factor associated with the accident was the rough terrain encountered when the airplane touched down short of the runway.
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 commercial pilot checked the right wing fuel tanks and reported there was fuel in them. The CFI checked the left tanks and reported the tip tank was full and the main tank was down about 1 1/2 inches. After a half hour local flight, one touch and go, and one go-around the commercial pilot switched from the left main tank to the right main tank while on downwind. The CFI then noticed a zero fuel indication and was switching to another tank when a loss of engine power occurred. The CFI switched back to the left main tank and power was restored as the airplane contacted the terrain short of the runway. Inspection of the airplane revealed the right main fuel tank was empty.
Factual narrative
On December 16, 1997, at 1815 central standard time, a Piper PA- 24-250, N6377L, operated by a certified flight instructor (CFI) and a commercial pilot experienced a loss of engine power. The airplane touched down short of the runway and collided with terrain at the Jabara Airport, Wichita, Kansas. The 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight was operating in visual meteorological conditions without a flight plan. Neither pilot was injured. The airplane was substantially damaged. The flight originated from the Jabara Airport at 1730 cst.
The purpose of the flight was for the CFI to check out the commercial pilot in the airplane. The CFI reported that during the preflight the commercial pilot checked the right side fuel tanks and stated that there was fuel in both tanks. The CFI checked the left side tanks and reported the "tip" tank was full and the main tank was down about 1 1/2 inches. They then took off for a local flight using the left main fuel tank. After approximately one half hour they returned to the airport to practice takeoffs and landings. He reported they performed one touch and go followed by one go-around when the commercial pilot switched the fuel selector to the right main fuel tank while on downwind for the next landing. The CFI reported he then noticed a zero fuel indication and was in the process of switching fuel tanks when a loss of engine power occurred. He reported he switched back to the left main tank and told the commercial pilot to verify that the boost pump was on. The CFI reported that the airplane contacted the ground 200 - 300 yards short of the threshold just as the engine power was restored.
The airplane touched down in a soft, plowed field which had furrows running perpendicular to the end of the runway. All three landing gear collapsed damaging both wing spars. The vertical and horizontal stabilizers were damaged by the right main gear when it separated from the airplane.
Post accident inspection of the airplane revealed the right main fuel tank was empty and the left main tank contained a small amount of unusable fuel.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N6377L
- Reported as
- Piper PA-24-250
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 24-3548
- Airframe hours
- 5,878
- Engine
- Lycoming O-540, 250 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Black Hole Enterprises, Ltd.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · November 14, 1997 · 25 hours before
- Departed
- 3KM
- Destination
- 3KM
- Airport
- 3KM · Jabara, runway 18, 6,100 × 100 ft, concrete
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 33
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 447 total · 1 in this make and model · 355 as pilot in command · 18 in the last 90 days · 3 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Dusk
- Wind
- 170° at 11 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 48 °F, dew point 34 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- 3KM
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.