- Date
- January 23, 1997, 17:40 local (23:40 UTC)
- Place
- Sulphur, OK
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N15754Piper PA-28-140
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report August 25, 1997
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19970123000789A
- Case key
- 20148
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 loss of engine power due to fuel starvation and the pilot's improper use of the fuel tank selector. Factors were the pilot's failure to follow the checklist and the lack of suitable terrain for the forced landing.
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
According to law enforcement personnel that responded to the accident, the pilot stated that he had flown to the Sulphur Municipal Airport to practice a landing and a takeoff prior to returning to Davis, where the pilot anticipated a crosswind landing. The pilot reported that the airplane was on initial takeoff climb from runway 17, at an estimated altitude of 400 to 500 feet AGL, when the engine 'coughed a couple of times and quit.' The pilot further stated that he switched the fuel selector to the left tank, but he was unable to restore engine power. The airplane landed in a confined field approximately one mile west of the airport. Examination of the wreckage by the FAA inspector revealed that the carburetor bowl and the right wing fuel tank were empty, while the left fuel tank contained 18 to 20 gallons of fuel. The airplane's checklist called for the fuel selector to be in the fullest tank prior to takeoff.
Factual narrative
On January 23, 1997, at 1740 central standard time, a Piper PA-28-140, was substantially damaged during a forced landing near Sulphur, Oklahoma. The airplane was owned by the DDR Corporation of Wilmington, Delaware, and being operated by Vista Helicopters Inc., of Davis, Oklahoma, on a Title 14 CFR Part 91 flight. The student pilot, sole occupant of the airplane, was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the solo instructional flight for which a flight plan was not filed. The local flight originated from the Crazy Horse Municipal Airport, near Davis, Oklahoma, at 1345.
According to law enforcement personnel that responded to the accident, the pilot stated that he had flown to the Sulphur Municipal Airport to practice a landing and a takeoff prior to returning to Davis, where the pilot anticipated a crosswind landing. The pilot reported that the airplane was on initial takeoff climb from runway 17, at an estimated altitude between 400 and 500 feet AGL, when the engine "coughed a couple of times and quit." The pilot further stated that he switched the fuel selector to the left tank, but due to his low altitude the power to the engine was not restored in time to abandon the forced landing.
The airplane landed in a confined field approximately one mile west of the airport. Post accident examination of the wreckage by the operator revealed that both wings and the engine firewall sustained structural damage. The left main gear and the nose landing gear had collapsed.
The 1972 model airplane was equipped with a checklist. The before takeoff checklist calls for the fuel selector to be in the fullest tank position.
Examination of the wreckage by the FAA inspector and the operator revealed that the carburetor bowl and the right wing tank were found to be empty. The left tank contained approximately 18 to 20 gallons of fuel.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N15754
- Reported as
- Piper PA-28-140
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 28-7325153
- Airframe hours
- 2,040
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-E3D, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Mike Birdsell
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · October 10, 1996 · 60 hours before
- Departed
- F30
- Destination
- 97F · Davis, OK
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
- 41
- Certificate
- Student
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 44 total · 34 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 120° at 16 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 3,500 ft broken
- Temperature
- 61 °F, dew point 46 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- ADM
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.