- Date
- October 3, 2009, 11:45 local (15:45 UTC)
- Place
- Highgate, VT
- Injuries
- 4 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N9237PPiper PA-24-260
- Defining event
- Takeoff: Fuel starvation
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report April 19, 2010
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Eastern Region Aviation
- FAA report
- 20091003050079A
- Case key
- 74842
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 improper fuel management which resulted in loss of engine power due to fuel starvation.
Findings · 2
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
According to the pilot, he was conducting multiple 10- to 15-minute "Young Eagle" flights. After taking off on the fifth flight, and as the airplane reached 300 feet, the engine lost power. The pilot switched fuel tanks and verified that the fuel pump was on, but to no avail. He then force-landed the airplane on the departure end of the runway. However, the airplane continued off the end of the runway and through a grassy overrun for about 100 yards, until it impacted a fence, substantially damaging both wings. The pilot noted that there were two main fuel tanks and two auxiliary fuel tanks on the airplane, and that during the first four flights, he only utilized fuel from the left main tank. Prior to the fifth flight, both auxiliary tanks and the right main tank were full, and the left main tank indicated 1/4 full. The pilot initially switched fuel feed to the right main tank, but then decided to utilize the remaining fuel in the left main tank, and switched back to that tank before takeoff. Postflight examination of the left fuel tank revealed no fuel in the tank. The pilot also stated that there were no preexisting mechanical anomalies with the airplane.
Factual narrative
According to the pilot, he was conducting multiple "Young Eagle" flights of 10 to 15 minutes' duration each. After taking off on the fifth flight, and as the airplane reached 300 feet, the engine lost power. The pilot switched fuel tanks and verified that the fuel pump was on, but to no avail. He then force-landed the airplane on the departure end of the runway. However, the airplane continued off the end of the runway and through a grassy overrun for about 100 yards, until it impacted a fence, substantially damaging both wings. The pilot noted that there were two main fuel tanks and two auxiliary fuel tanks on the airplane, and that during the first four flights, he only utilized fuel from the left main tank. Prior to the fifth flight, both auxiliary tanks and the right main tank were full, and the left main tank indicated 1/4 full. The pilot initially switched fuel feed to the right main tank, but then decided to utilize the remaining fuel in the left main tank, and switched back to that tank before takeoff. Postflight examination of the left fuel tank revealed no fuel in the tank. The pilot also stated that there were no preexisting mechanical anomalies with the airplane.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N9237P
- Reported as
- Piper PA-24-260
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 24-4736
- Airframe hours
- 4,977
- Engine
- Lycoming TIO-540 SER, 310 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Robert Desmarais
- Registered owner
- Robert Desmarais
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · October 3, 2009
- Departed
- KFSO · Highgate, VT
- Destination
- KFSO · Highgate, VT
- Airport
- KFSO · Franklin County State Airport, runway 19, 3,000 × 60 ft, asphalt
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
- 57
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land, Single-engine sea
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- August 22, 2009
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 845 total · 48 in this make and model · 780 as pilot in command · 27 in the last 90 days · 4 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 160° at 3 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 2,900 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 57 °F, dew point 54 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.89 inHg
- Observed at
- KFSO
Docket · 4
The files NTSB released with the investigation on December 10, 2009, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 764 KB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.