# NTSB ERA11CA225: Piper PA38, N2491K, Manville, NJ, April 2, 2011 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Data collection · Final report - Date: April 2, 2011, 13:30 local (17:30 UTC) - Place: Manville, NJ - Coordinates: 40.525833, -74.574722 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=40.5258&lon=-74.5747&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Approach](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/500) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Approach-VFR pattern base: Loss of engine power (total)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341) - Highest injury: Serious injuries - Injuries: 1 serious, 1 minor - Status: Completed, report June 20, 2011 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Eastern Region Aviation - Parties: FAA/FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 78752 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ERA11CA225 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/78752/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=78752 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA11CA225 ## Probable cause The pilot’s improper fuel management which resulted in a loss of engine power due to fuel starvation. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Planning/preparation: fuel planning](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02061030): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper PA-38-112, 7 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02061030/cases.md?model=7103812), [All aircraft, 719 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02061030/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Approach-VFR pattern base: Fuel starvation](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/191); cases with it: [Piper PA-38-112, 5 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/191/sequence.md?model=7103812), [All aircraft, 733 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/191/sequence.md) - [Approach-VFR pattern base: Loss of engine power (total)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341) (defining event); cases with it: [Piper PA-38-112, 10 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341/sequence.md?model=7103812), [All aircraft, 3,820 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341/sequence.md) ## Analysis The pilot stated that he and his son departed on a flight to practice instrument approaches at three different airports. He said that the practice approaches that he completed were uneventful. On the return flight, with the son at the controls, on the base leg of the traffic pattern, the engine experienced a total loss of engine power. The pilot said that the fuel selector was on the left wing tank, and the corresponding fuel quantity gauge indicated that the tank was empty. He switched the fuel selector to the right tank, which he used during the practice approaches; however, an attempted restart was unsuccessful. He conducted a forced landing to a road, resulting in substantial damage to the fuselage, empennage, horizontal stabilizer, and rudder. Postaccident examination by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector revealed that the left fuel tank contained less than one pint of fuel, and the right fuel tank contained approximately 6 gallons. ## Factual narrative The pilot stated that he and his son, who also held a pilot's certificate, had conducted several practice instrument approaches at three different airports prior to stopping for lunch. They departed back to their home airport, and on the base leg of the traffic pattern for landing, experienced a total loss of engine power. The pilot noted that the fuel selector was on the left wing tank, and the corresponding fuel quantity gauge indicated that the tank was empty. The pilot switched the fuel selector to the right tank, attempted a restart, but the engine did not restart. The pilot's son conducted a forced landing to a road, resulting in substantial damage to the fuselage, empennage, horizontal stabilizer, and rudder. Postaccident examination by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector revealed that the left fuel tank contained less than one pint of fuel, and the right fuel tank contained approximately 6 gallons. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N2491K](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N2491K-2013-03-04), registration cancelled 2013-03-04, S/N 38-79A0664, built 1979 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: PIPER PA38 (112) - Registry model: [Piper PA-38-112](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-38-112) (registry code 7103812) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming 0-235 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-235-series) (registry code 41505, 4 cycle) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 38-79A0664 - Airframe hours: 3452 - Engines: LYCOMING O235 115 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Fire: On-Ground - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Operator: Thomas K Dempsey - Registered owner: Thomas K Dempsey - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, August 5, 2010 - Departed: VAY, Mount Holly, NJ - Destination: 47N, Manville, NJ - Airport: 47N, Central Jersey Regional ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 68; injuries: minor; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 3, with waivers/limitations; last flight review June 5, 2010; seat: right; flight hours: 590 total, 279 in this make and model, 590 as pilot in command, 7 in the last 90 days, 2 in the last 30 days, 2 in the last 24 hours - Pilot; age 41; injuries: serious; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3, without waivers/limitations; last flight review November 3, 2009; seat: left; flight hours: 200 total, 1 in this make and model ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 290° at 7 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 7,500 ft broken - Temperature: 52 °F, dew point 25 °F - Altimeter: 29.52 inHg - Observed at: SMQ, 7 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 20110402006639A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20110402006639A), Apr 2, 2011: Piper PA-38-112, Somerset, NJ, Destroyed. Aircraft was in the pattern for landing at Central Jersey Regional Airport (47N) and the engine quit. The pilot performed an emergency landing striking power… ## Docket (4 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on April 29, 2011, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=78752. 1.3 MB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 579 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40346845&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Redacted.PDF - FAA Inspector Statement (item 2, .PDF, 320 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40346846&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=FAA%20Inspector%20Statement-Master.PDF - Memorandum for Record - FAA Inspector (item 3, .PDF, 81 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40346848&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Memorandum%20for%20Record%20-%20FAA%20Inspector-Master.PDF - Photos (Courtesy FAA) (item 4, .PDF, 2 photos, 321 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40346849&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photos%20(Courtesy%20FAA)-Master.PDF 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.