- Date
- July 8, 2000, 11:20 local (16:20 UTC)
- Place
- Leonard, TX
- Injuries
- 1 serious, 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N8210NPiper PA-28-140
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report July 17, 2001
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 20000708009229A
- Case key
- 49639
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 inadvertent stall. A factor was the improperly positioned fuel selector.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
During the takeoff/initial climb, the airplane lost fuel pressure. The pilot was attempting to return to the airstrip when the engine lost total power. The airplane stalled, struck the ground, and came to rest short of the airstrip. The integrity of the fuel system was compromised during the impact sequence. The fuel gascolator was found separated from the fuel system, and no fuel was found in the fuel lines or the carburetor. The fuel selector in the cockpit was found positioned between the left and right fuel tanks. Fuel flow from both tanks was possible to the fuel gascolator when either tank was properly selected.
Factual narrative
On July 8, 2000, at 1120 central daylight time, a Piper PA-28-140, single-engine airplane, N8210N, sustained substantial damage when it impacted the terrain during a forced landing following a loss of fuel pressure and engine power near Leonard, Texas. The airplane was registered to and operated by the pilot under 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. The commercial pilot received minor injuries, and the passenger received serious injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and a flight plan was not filed for the personal flight. The local flight was originating from the private grass airstrip at the time of the accident.
The pilot reported that the flight departed to the south, and during the takeoff/initial climbing turn toward the east, the airplane lost fuel pressure. The pilot was attempting to return to the airstrip when the engine lost total power. The airplane "stalled", struck the ground with the right wing and nose, and came to rest short of the airstrip.
The FAA inspector responding to the site found that the right fuel tank was 1/2 full (approximately 12 gallons) and the left fuel tank contained 2 1/2 gallons. The integrity of the fuel system was compromised during the impact sequence. The fuel gascolator was found separated from the fuel system, and no fuel was found in the fuel lines or the carburetor. The fuel selector was found positioned between the left and right fuel tanks. Fuel flow from both tanks was possible to the fuel gascolator when either tank was properly selected. The engine was found separated at the engine mounts and the propeller blades were bent aft. The right wing spar was structurally damaged.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N8210N
- Reported as
- Piper PA-28-140
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 28-25413
- Airframe hours
- 6,390
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-E2A, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Durwood E. Gorthey
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · March 3, 1999 · 114 hours before
- Airport
- NONE · Private Airstrip, runway 18, 2,200 × 40 ft, grass/turf
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
- 59
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 1,148 total · 400 in this make and model · 10 in the last 90 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 180° at 10 knots
- Visibility
- 20 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 90 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.