# NTSB DEN86LA221: Piper PA-24-250, N7681P, Albuquerque, NM, August 7, 1986

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report
- Date: August 7, 1986, 08:44 local (14:44 UTC)
- Place: Albuquerque, NM
- Coordinates: 35.110397, -106.579368 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=35.1104&lon=-106.5794&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 4 uninjured
- Status: Completed
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 17028
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=DEN86LA221
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/17028/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DEN86LA221

## Sequence of events

In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf).

- Loss of engine power(total) - nonmechanical, cruise - normal
  - aircraft preflight - inadequate, pilot in command (cause)
  - engine instruments,fuel quantity gage - false indication (contributing factor)
  - refueling - not performed
  - fluid,fuel - exhaustion (cause)
  - fuel supply - inadequate, pilot in command (cause)
- Forced landing, descent - emergency
- On ground/water collision with object, landing - roll

## Analysis

THE PLT RPRTD THE ACFT WAS REFUELED TO CAPACITY AT LONGMONT, CO. FULL CAPACITY SHOULD HAVE PROVIDED AT LEAST 3.6 HRS OF FLYING TIME AT NORMAL CONSUMPTION. AFTER REFUELING, THE ACFT WAS FLOWN 1.3 HRS TO FOWLER, CO, WHERE IT REMAINED PARKED FOR A WEEK. THE PLT THEN DEPARTED ON A FLT TO ALBUQUERQUE, NM. AFTER 1.3 HRS OF FLT TIME, THE ENG LOST PWR. DURING AN EMERG LANDING ON AN INTERSTATE HIGHWAY, THE RGT WING OF THE ACFT COLLIDED WITH A BRIDGE RAILING. AN INVESTIGATION REVEALED THE LOSS OF PWR WAS DUE TO FUEL EXHAUSTION. THE PLT SAID HE LOOKED IN THE FUEL TANKS DRG A PREFLIGHT INSPN. HE NOTED THERE WAS FUEL IN BOTH TANKS, BUT HE DID NOT ASCERTAIN THE QUANTITY. ALSO, HE RPRTD THAT THE FUEL GAGES WERE NOT RELIABLE. HE BELIEVED THAT FUEL WAS STOLEN FROM THE ACFT WHILE IT WAS PARKED AT FOWLER.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N7681P](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N7681P-2013-05-09), registration cancelled 2013-05-09, S/N 24-2854, built 1961 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA-24-250
- Registry model: [Piper PA-24](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-24) (registry code 7102402) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Lycoming 0-540 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-540-series) (registry code 41532, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 24-2854
- Airframe hours: 2980
- Engines: LYCOMING O-540 250 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Personal, Part 91
- Registered owner: Herbert A. Shannon
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Last inspection: Annual, July 25, 1986, 19 hours before
- Departed: O9V, FOWLER, CO
- Airport: 4AC, Coronado

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 65; airline transport; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine sea, single-engine sea, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; seat: left; flight hours: 8,800 total, 500 in this make and model, 8,600 as pilot in command, 18 in the last 90 days, 2 in the last 24 hours

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 360° at 12 knots
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Temperature: 75 °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 19860807053199A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19860807053199A), Aug 7, 1986: Piper STCPA24, Albuquerque, NM, Substantial damage. The engine failed from fuel starvation and the airplane landed on a road. Pilot suspects stolen fuel.

## Other investigations on N7681P (3)

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 ATL90FA031](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ATL90FA031), Nov 25, 1989: Piper PA-24-250 (N7681P), Helen, GA, substantial damage, 2 fatal. Probable cause: THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO PROPERLY PREFLIGHT AND PLAN EN ROUTE REFUELING STOPS. THE AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH TREES DURING THE EMERGENCY DESCENT.
- [NTSB CHI70D0286](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI70D0286), Aug 17, 1969: Piper PA-24 (N7681P), Kankakee, IL, substantial damage
- [NTSB UNK64X2310](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/UNK64X2310), Jun 15, 1964: Piper PA-24 (N7681P), Corning, IA, destroyed

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.