FTW97LA198

The purpose of the flight was to fly to a nearby airport, practice touch and go landings, and return. He anticipated the local flight to be about 1 hour. During the preflight, the pilot inspected the fuel and noted that the 'left main [tank] was down quite a bit', the 'left auxiliary [tank] was down some', the 'right main [tank] was down slightly', and the right auxiliary [tank] was full.' He recalled that when he flew the airplane last (the previous week), he had switched from using the left main tank to the right main tank, and flew for about 30 minutes on the right main tank. He further reported that, he did not have access to the fuel tank on the field so he did not top off the fuel tanks. After departure, the pilot flew to the nearby airport, and made 3 or 4 landings to a full stop. While on the return flight, the engine lost power and the pilot was forced to land in heavily wooded terrain. Examination of the wreckage at the accident site by an FAA inspector revealed that the left and right main fuel tanks were empty, the left auxiliary tank was 1/2 to 3/4 full and the right auxiliary fuel tank was full. The fuel selector handle was found in the 'fuel off' position.

On May 26, 1997, approximately 1830 central daylight time, a Piper PA-24-250 airplane, N7967P, owned and registered to two private individuals, was substantially damaged during a forced landing in the vicinity of Ward, Arkansas. The private pilot, sole occupant of the airplane, was seriously injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed for the Title 14 CFR part 91 personal cross country flight. The flight originated from Dogwood Field (a private airstrip near Ward, Arkansas) at about 1700.

In a written statement, the pilot reported that the purpose of the flight was to fly to Searcy Municipal Airport, Searcy, Arkansas, located about 10 miles northeast of Ward (point of departure), do some touch and go landings, and return to Dogwood Field. He anticipated the flight to be about 1 hour. He stated that he arrived at Dogwood at about 1630 to preflight. During the preflight he inspected the fuel and noted that the "left main [tank] was down quite a bit", the "left auxiliary [tank] was down some", the "right main [tank] was down slightly", and the right auxiliary [tank] was full." He recalled that when he flew the airplane last (the previous week), he had switched from using the left main tank to the right main tank, and flew for about 30 minutes on the right main tank. He further reported that, he did not have access to the fuel tank on the field so he did not top off the fuel tanks.

After departing from Dogwood, the pilot flew to Searcy, and made 3 or 4 (the pilot does not recall) landings to a full stop. He stated that he did not recall when he last checked the fuel gauge other than when he started the engine before originally taking off from Dogwood Field. While on the return flight to Dogwood Field, the engine lost power and the pilot was forced to land in heavily wooded terrain.

Examination of the wreckage at the accident site by a FAA inspector revealed that the left and right main fuel tanks contained zero gallons of fuel, the left auxiliary tank was 1/2 to 3/4 full and the right auxiliary fuel tank was full. The fuel selector handle was found in the "fuel off" position.

The pilot reported to the NTSB investigator-in-charge, via NTSB Form 6120.1/2, that he felt that the cause of the accident was attributed to "fuel starvation due to fuel mismanagement."