# NTSB DEN03LA026: Piper PA-28-181, N75337, Spanish Fork, UT, December 26, 2002 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: December 26, 2002, 09:45 local (16:45 UTC) - Place: Spanish Fork, UT - Coordinates: 40.141666, -111.661109 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=40.1417&lon=-111.6611&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Emergency descent](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/600) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: Serious injuries - Injuries: 1 serious, 1 minor - Status: Completed, report August 26, 2003 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: Salt Lake City Flight Standards District Office - NTSB case key (mKey): 56259 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=DEN03LA026 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/56259/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DEN03LA026 ## Probable cause the pilot's inadequate preflight planning and preparation and his in-flight decision/planning resulting in fuel exhaustion. A contributing factor was the rough, frozen terrain at the landing site. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of engine power(total) - nonmechanical, emergency descent/landing - preflight planning/preparation - inadequate, pilot in command (cause) - refueling - not performed, pilot in command (cause) - in-flight planning/decision - inadequate, pilot in command (cause) - fluid,fuel - exhaustion (contributing factor) - Forced landing, emergency descent/landing - On ground/water encounter with terrain/water, landing - roll - terrain condition - open field - terrain condition - rough/uneven (contributing factor) - terrain condition - frozen (contributing factor) ## Analysis The pilot departed, with full fuel tanks, to visit family members for Christmas. During his return trip aircraft preflight, he visually checked the fuel tanks and fuel gauges. "One registered just under 20 gallons and the other 15 gallons." He did not take on additional fuel before departure. The pilot said the engine lost power approximately half way home. He said he enriched the mixture, activated the electric fuel pump, and switched fuel tanks. The engine's power increased. The pilot said he decided to head toward Spanish Fork Canyon. Shortly thereafter, with the Spanish Fork Airport in sight, the engine again lost power. The pilot performed a forced landing to an open field. During the landing roll, the airplane nosed over. Postaccident examination of the terrain revealed that it was frozen hard. An FAA inspector retrieved approximately 1/4 cup of fuel from one fuel tank, and he reported the other tank was empty. The inspector also said the fuel strainers were clean, but dry. ## Factual narrative On December 26, 2002, at approximately 0945 mountain standard time, a Piper PA-28-181, N75337, was substantially damaged when it nosed over during a forced landing in an open field near Spanish Fork, Utah. The instrument rated private pilot was seriously injured, and his passenger received minor injuries. Keystone Aviation, Salt Lake City, Utah, was operating the airplane under Title 14 CFR Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the personal cross-country flight that originated from Blanding, Utah, approximately 2 hours before the accident. No flight plan had been filed. The pilot said he had the airplane topped off with fuel prior to departure from Salt Lake City 2 days before the accident. He flew to Blanding, Utah, for Christmas celebrations with family members. The flight lasted approximately 2 hours and 15 minutes. Prior to departure from Blanding, the pilot said he visually checked the fuel tanks and fuel gauges. "One registered just under 20 gallons and the other 15 gallons." The pilot said he calculated his fuel burn at 9 gallons per hour. He did not take on additional fuel before departure. The pilot said that about half way between Price and Provo, Utah, the engine lost power. He said he enriched the mixture, activated the electric fuel pump, and switched fuel tanks. The engine's power increased. The pilot said he decided to head toward Spanish Fork Canyon. Shortly thereafter, with the Spanish Fork Airport in sight, the engine again lost power. The pilot performed a forced landing to an open, plowed field. During the landing roll, the airplane nosed over bending both wings, the vertical stabilizer, and the firewall. Postaccident examination of the terrain revealed that it was frozen hard. An FAA inspector retrieved approximately 1/4 cup of fuel from one fuel tank, and he reported that other tank was empty. The inspector also said the fuel strainers were clean, but dry. According to the Pilot's Operating Handbook, the airplane has 48 gallons of usable fuel capacity. The Hobbs meter in the airplane reflected a total time from Salt Lake City to Blanding, and from Blanding to the accident site, as 5.2 hours. This results in an average fuel burn rate of approximately 9.3 gallons per hour. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N75337](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N75337-2013-08-23), registration cancelled 2013-08-23, S/N 28-7690332, built 1976 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Piper PA-28-181 - Registry model: [Piper PA-28-181](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-28-181) (registry code 7102807) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 28-7690332 - Airframe hours: 11211 - Engines: Textron Lycoming O-360-A4M 180 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: Keystone Aviation LLC - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Utility - Last inspection: 100 hour, November 26, 2002, 32 hours before - Departed: BDG, Blanding, UT - Destination: SLC, Salt Lake City, UT - Flight plan: Unknown ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 22; injuries: serious; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; last flight review August 5, 2002; seat: left; flight hours: 185 total, 22 in this make and model, 138 as pilot in command, 30 in the last 90 days, 8 in the last 30 days, 2 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 170° at 9 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 21 °F, dew point 16 °F - Altimeter: 30.30 inHg - Observed at: PVU, 5 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 20021226034039A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20021226034039A), Dec 26, 2002: Piper PA28181, Spanishfork, UT, Substantial damage. (-23) Pilot departed salt lake city international airport on December 24, 2002 and flew to blanding, Utah, which is a straight line distance of 225 NM from… 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.