# NTSB ERA25LA006: Piper PA24, N12RD, Moore Haven, FL, October 3, 2024 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report - Date: October 3, 2024, 13:09 local (17:09 UTC) - Place: Moore Haven, FL · Sugar cane field - Coordinates: 26.8797, -81.1303 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=26.8797&lon=-81.1303&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: 2 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): 195302 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ERA25LA006 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/195302/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=195302 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA25LA006 ## Probable cause The pilot’s failure to initiate the cross country flight with an adequate fuel supply, resulting in a loss of engine power and forced landing due to 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 management (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper PA-24-250, 24 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071010/cases.md?model=7102404), [All aircraft, 1,695 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071010/cases.md) - [Inspection: preflight inspection](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02061510): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper PA-24-250, 6 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02061510/cases.md?model=7102404), [All aircraft, 551 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02061510/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-24-250, 11 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/192/sequence.md?model=7102404), [All aircraft, 804 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/192/sequence.md) - [Emergency descent: Off-field or emergency landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440); cases with it: [Piper PA-24-250, 23 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440/sequence.md?model=7102404), [All aircraft, 3,365 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440/sequence.md) ## Analysis The pilot reported that he departed on the first of two legs of a cross-country flight with full main fuel tanks (30 gallons each, 28 gallons useable). The first leg of the 1 hour and 45-minute flight was uneventful, and the engine performed normally during the flight. The airplane was not refueled after the completion of the first leg, so he checked his fuel both visually and with the fuel gauges. During the cruise portion of the return flight, he noted a partial loss of engine power, with rpm dropping to between 1,000 and 1,200. He initiated the checklist procedures for a partial power loss, declared an emergency with air traffic control, and power was briefly restored. The engine rpm again dropped, and since the closest airport was too far away, he executed a forced landing to a sugar cane field about 1 hour and 18 minutes into the return flight. The pilot stated that the airplane should have had about 2 hours of fuel remaining when the engine lost power. Federal Aviation Administration inspectors responded to the accident site and examined the wreckage; they confirmed substantial damage to the airframe. The fuel system was examined at the scene. The auxiliary wingtip fuel tanks and main fuel tanks contained no quantifiable fuel. The main fuel tanks were not ruptured, and there was no evidence of fuel leakage outside the airplane. The fuel strainer was undamaged and was empty of fuel. After recovery of the wreckage, the engine was prepared for a test run. The engine started on the first attempt and was eventually run up to 2,000 rpm before the run was concluded. Impact damage to the propeller prevented a run at a higher rpm. Also, the fuel tanks were filled with water to check for leaks; no leaks were noted. The pilot reported that the main tanks were “topped” with 8.7 gallons of fuel prior to the first leg of the trip. Prior to this servicing, the tanks were reportedly filled 26 days before the accident, and the pilot stated that his son flew the airplane for three touch-and-go landings after this refueling. Automatic dependent surveillance-broadcast (ADS-B) data revealed that the airplane was airborne for 1 hour and 2 minutes and taxied a total of 18 minutes on this flight. Estimated fuel burn for a flight of this duration was about 15 gallons. Therefore, it is unlikely that the pilot initiated the cross-country trip with a full fuel load, and it is possible that he perceived his main fuel tanks to be completely full before beginning the first leg when they were not. The pilot’s operating handbook for the airplane stated that, due to several factors, many fuel cells do not hold their full rated capacity. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N12RD](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N12RD), registered now, S/N 24-368, built 1958 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: PIPER PA24 (250) - Registry model: [Piper PA-24-250](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-24-250) (registry code 7102404) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming 0-540 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-540-series) (registry code 41532, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 24-368 - Year built: 1958 - Airframe hours: 4366 - Engines: Lycoming O-540-A1A5 250 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, November 28, 2023, 15 hours before - Departed: CDK, Cedar Key, FL - Destination: FXE, Fort Lauderdale, FL - Flight plan: IFR - Equipment: Stall warning system, Electronic primary flight display, Electronic multifunction display, ADS-B ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 62; injuries: none; airline transport; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, without waivers/limitations; last flight review June 23, 2024; seat: left; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 25,900 total, 84 in this make and model, 7,650 as pilot in command, 102 in the last 90 days, 37 in the last 30 days, 3 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Temperature: 32 °F, dew point 32 °F - Altimeter: 29.93 inHg - Observed at: KOBE, 28 nm away - METAR: METAR KOBE 031715Z AUTO VRB03KT 10SM FEW037 FEW065 SCT075 A2993 RMK AO2 LTG DSNT NE ## 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 20241003014679A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20241003014679A), Oct 3, 2024: Piper PA-24-250, Moore Haven, FL, Substantial damage. Pilot stated the aircraft was returning to fxe from cdk. At 7000' feet after 1 hour 47 minutes into the flight, pilot stated aircraft engine dropped to between… ## Docket (10 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on April 22, 2025, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=195302. 8.2 MB in all. - Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 10 pages, 4.8 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=18032440&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=1%206120_Redacted-Rel.pdf - NTSB mor pilot responses to NTSB re fuel planning and usage (item 2, PDF, 3 pages, 71 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=18402705&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=1b%20NTSB%20MOR%20Pilot%20Responses%20to%20NTSB%20re%20Fuel%20Planning%20and%20Usage-Rel.pdf - Fuel consumption summary provided by pilot (item 3, PDF, 1 page, 559 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=18402250&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=1c%20Fuel%20Burn%20Summary%20Provided%20by%20Pilot-Rel.pdf - POH power settings table provided by pilot (item 4, PDF, 1 page, 206 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=18402517&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=1d%20POH%20Power%20Settings%20Table%20Provided%20by%20Pilot-Rel.pdf - Fuel receipt (item 5, PDF, 1 page, 136 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=18401453&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=1e%20Fuel%20Receipt_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Excerpts - POH (item 6, PDF, 3 pages, 118 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=18405596&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=ICS%20POH-AFM_PA-24-250_1958-1960-Rel.pdf - FAA inspector statement (item 7, PDF, 2 pages, 809 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=18030135&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=2%20FAA_Form_8020-26%20Statement%20to%20NTSB-Rel.pdf - NTSB mor ADS-B data provided by FAA (item 8, PDF, 1 page, 61 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=18401473&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=2b%20NTSB%20MOR%20ADS-B%20Data%20from%20FAA-Rel.pdf - Investigation photographs (item 9, PDF, 4 pages, 271 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=18031654&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=4%20Investigation%20Photographs-Rel.pdf - NTSB wreckage examination (item 10, PDF, 9 pages, 1.2 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=18032236&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=3%20ERA25LA006%20Exam%20Summary%20and%20Engine%20Test%20Run-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.