# NTSB ERA21LA392: Piper PA-16, N5656H, Greensboro, GA, September 25, 2021 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report - Date: September 25, 2021, 10:30 local (14:30 UTC) - Place: Greensboro, GA - Coordinates: 33.575935, -83.182625 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=33.5759&lon=-83.1826&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Enroute-cruise: Fuel exhaustion](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/192) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed - Report: Approved by Office Director - Investigation class: Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish - NTSB office: Eastern Region Aviation - Parties: FAA/FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 104094 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ERA21LA392 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/104094/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=104094 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA21LA392 ## Probable cause The pilot’s inadequate preflight planning and fuel system inspection, which resulted in fuel exhaustion. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Fluids: fuel](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071010): Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware · Fluid level; cases with it: [Piper PA-16, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071010/cases.md?model=7101602), [All aircraft, 1,695 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071010/cases.md) - [Planning/preparation: fuel planning](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02061030): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper PA-16, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02061030/cases.md?model=7101602), [All aircraft, 719 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02061030/cases.md) - [Inspection: preflight inspection](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02061510): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper PA-16, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02061510/cases.md?model=7101602), [All aircraft, 551 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02061510/cases.md) - [Info processing/decision: decision making/judgment](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041520): Personnel issues › Action/decision · Pilot; cases with it: [Piper PA-16, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041520/cases.md?model=7101602), [All aircraft, 3,098 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041520/cases.md) - [Terrain: rough terrain](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03021015): Environmental issues › Physical environment · Contributed to outcome; cases with it: [Piper PA-16, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03021015/cases.md?model=7101602), [All aircraft, 442 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03021015/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Enroute-cruise: Fuel exhaustion](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/192) (defining event); cases with it: [Piper PA-16, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/192/sequence.md?model=7101602), [All aircraft, 804 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/192/sequence.md) - [Enroute-cruise: Loss of engine power (total)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341); cases with it: [Piper PA-16, 3 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341/sequence.md?model=7101602), [All aircraft, 3,820 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341/sequence.md) - [Emergency descent: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [Piper PA-16, 9 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md?model=7101602), [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md) ## Analysis The pilot reported that he and his friend went to purchase an airplane from an airport in North Carolina. After an inspection and test flight of the airplane, he stated that, “we filled both tanks and called it a day.” The pilot returned the next day to pick up the airplane and said that he checked the fuel tanks and they looked full. He departed the airport enroute home and climbed to an altitude of 4,500 ft. He was aloft for 3 hours, using the right tank for 1 hour 30 minutes, followed by the left tank for 1 hour 30 minutes. He said that the engine “quit running” and he switched back to the right fuel tank. The engine started and ran for a few minutes before stopping again. The pilot elected to conduct an emergency landing on a rough logging road. After the emergency landing, the pilot checked the fuel tanks and stated that they were both empty. During a telephone interview with the pilot, he stated that his friend refueled the airplane, and he did not know how much fuel was put into the tanks. The Federal Aviation Administration inspector who responded to the scene confirmed that both fuel tanks were empty of fuel. He did not observe any breaches of the fuel tanks, nor did he find any anomalies of the fueling system. During inspection of the airplane by a mechanic, structural damage was discovered on the firewall. The engine mount was also observed buckled. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N5656H](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N5656H), registered now, S/N 16-267 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: PIPER PA-16 - Registry model: [Piper PA-16](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-16) (registry code 7101602) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming 0-290 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-290-series) (registry code 41506, 4 cycle) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 16-267 - Year built: 1949 - Airframe hours: 1885 - Engines: Lycoming O-290-D 125 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, June 8, 2021 - Departed: W40, Mount Olive, NC - Destination: T41, La Porte, TX - Airport: None, Logging Road - Equipment: Handheld GPS ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 79; injuries: none; private, sport pilot; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: sport pilot; seat: left; restraint: lap only; flight hours: 3,200 total, 150 in this make and model, 3,200 as pilot in command ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 280° at 4 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 25,000 ft broken - Temperature: 72 °F, dew point 55 °F - Altimeter: 30.14 inHg - Observed at: KATL, 66 nm away - METAR: METAR KATL 251452Z 28004KT 10SM SCT200 BKN250 22/13 A3014 RMK AO2 SLP202 T02170133 51005= ## 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 20210925016379A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20210925016379A), Sep 25, 2021: Piper PA-16, Greensboro, GA, Substantial damage. Pilot fuled aircraft with 18 gallons of fuel in each wing. At aproximate 3 hours into flight pilot switched from left to right tank. The engine stalled and he… ## Docket (4 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on January 8, 2022, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=104094. 7.6 MB in all. - Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 11 pages, 7.2 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=12837370&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=6120%20N5656H_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Memorandum for record a�� telephone interview, pilot (item 2, PDF, 1 page, 133 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=12903835&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Memorandum%20For%20Record%20Pilot%20interview%20N5656H-Rel.pdf - Memorandum of record FAA damage assessment and NTSB notes (item 3, PDF, 1 page, 116 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=12837254&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Memorandum%20Of%20Record%20FAA%20damage%20assessment%20and%20NTSB%20notes_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Photos (item 4, PDF, 2 pages, 139 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=12837698&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Photo%20Array%20LA392-Rel.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.