- Date
- December 1, 1998, 16:50 local (21:50 UTC)
- Place
- Mason, MI
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N36700Piper PA-28-181
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report February 16, 2001
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19981201044069A
- Case key
- 45378
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's inattention to fuel management in that he failed to switch fuel tanks in a timely manner which resulted in fuel starvation. A factor related to the accident was the low altitude at which the loss of engine power occurred.
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 pilot reported the engine lost power while in the traffic pattern after having flown two hours. The airplane was landed in a field during which time the right main landing gear collapsed. Post accident inspection revealed the left fuel tank was full of fuel and the right fuel tank was empty. A post accident test run of the engine failed to reveal any anomalies. The pilot reported that he did not switch fuel tanks in a timely manner during the flight.
Factual narrative
On December 1, 1998, at 1650 eastern standard time, a Piper PA- 28-181, N36700, operated by a private pilot collided with the terrain during an off airport forced landing 2 miles east of the Jewett Airport, Mason, Michigan. The pilot reported the forced landing was a result of a loss of engine power. The pilot was not injured. The airplane was substantially damaged. The 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight was operating in visual meteorological conditions. The flight originated from Muskegon, Michigan.
The pilot departed Mason, Michigan, at 1445 est and flew to Muskegon, Michigan, where he made a touch and go landing prior to heading back to Mason. The pilot reported that while at 1,800 feet, on base leg for landing on runway 27 at the Jewett Airport, the engine lost power. The pilot landed the airplane in an open field during which time the right main landing gear collapsed.
Post accident inspection of the airplane revealed the right fuel tank was empty and the left fuel tank was full. The airplane had been refueled prior to departing Mason, Michigan. The hobbs time at departure was 3260.5 and the hobbs time noted at the accident site was 3262.5. Each fuel tank holds 24 gallons of usable fuel. According to an Inspector from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Belleville, Michigan, Flight Standards District Office (FSDO), this airplane uses approximately 10.5 gallons per hour. The airplane was removed from the accident site and the engine was started using the left fuel tank. He reported, "Although high power was not attempted, the engine ran satisfactorily."
In a written statement to the FAA, the pilot stated, "I believe that the right fuel tank was not switched in a timely manner which led to the fuel starvation to the engine and the eventual forced landing."
Aircraft
- Registration
- N36700
- Reported as
- Piper PA-28-181
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 28-7890526
- Airframe hours
- 5,079
- Engine
- Lycoming O-360, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Aerogenesis Flt Training Acdmy
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · November 13, 1998 · 28 hours before
- Departed
- MKG · Muskegon, MI
- Destination
- TEW
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
- 44
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 143 total · 5 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 210° at 4 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 52 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- TEW, 2 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.
Other investigations on N36700 · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.