# NTSB GAA18CA152: Piper PA 32R, N8191B, Big Spring, TX, March 9, 2018 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Minor injuries · Data collection · Final report - Date: March 8, 2018, 20:15 local (Mar 9, 2018, 02:15 UTC) - Place: Big Spring, TX - Coordinates: 32.036666, -102.101669 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=32.0367&lon=-102.1017&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Enroute: Fuel exhaustion](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/192) - Highest injury: Minor injuries - Injuries: 1 minor - Status: Completed, report August 27, 2018 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: General Aviation Accidents - Parties: FAA - NTSB case key (mKey): 96845 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=GAA18CA152 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/96845/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=96845 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA18CA152 ## Probable cause The pilot’s failure to manage the airplane’s fuel supply, which resulted in fuel starvation. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s decision to attempt the flight with an inoperative fuel gauge. ## 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-32R-301T, 3 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071010/cases.md?model=7103220), [All aircraft, 1,695 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071010/cases.md) - [Attention/monitoring: task monitoring/vigilance](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02021520): Personnel issues › Psychological · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper PA-32R-301T, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02021520/cases.md?model=7103220), [All aircraft, 330 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02021520/cases.md) - [Object/animal/substance: wire](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022032): Environmental issues › Physical environment · Effect on operation (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper PA-32R-301T, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022032/cases.md?model=7103220), [All aircraft, 588 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022032/cases.md) - [Action: incorrect action selection](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041010): Personnel issues › Action/decision · Pilot; cases with it: [Piper PA-32R-301T, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041010/cases.md?model=7103220), [All aircraft, 397 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041010/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Enroute: Fuel exhaustion](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/192) (defining event); cases with it: [Piper PA-32R-301T, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/192/sequence.md?model=7103220), [All aircraft, 804 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/192/sequence.md) - [Emergency descent: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [Piper PA-32R-301T, 19 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md?model=7103220), [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md) ## Analysis The pilot reported that, although the airplane's fuel gauge was providing intermittent information, he decided to depart on a night cross-country flight. During the flight, the engine lost power. The pilot declared an emergency and selected a road to land on. During the landing, the airplane struck power line wires, impacted the ground, and came to rest inverted. The airplane sustained substantial damage to both wings, the engine mounts, the rudder and the horizontal stabilizer. Examination of the airplane by a Federal Aviation Administration Aviation safety inspector revealed that the fuel selector was set to the right-wing tank, and there was no usable fuel in the right-wing tank. The left-wing tank contained usable fuel. Per Title 14 CFR 91.205, no person may operate a powered civil aircraft with a standard category US airworthiness certificate with an inoperative fuel gauge. ## Factual narrative The pilot reported that although the airplane's fuel gauge was intermittent, he decided to depart on a night cross-country flight, and during the flight the engine lost power. He declared an emergency and selected a road to land on. During the landing, the airplane struck powerline wires and impacted the ground and came to rest inverted. The airplane sustained substantial damage to both wings, the engine mounts, the rudder and the horizontal stabilizer. Examination of the airplane by a Federal Aviation Administration Aviation Safety Inspector revealed that the fuel selector was set to the right-wing tank, and there was no usable fuel in the right-wing tank. The left-wing tank contained usable fuel. Per 14 CFR 91.205, no person may operate a powered civil aircraft with a standard category U.S. airworthiness certificate with an inoperative fuel gauge. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N8191B](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N8191B-2019-10-05), registration cancelled 2019-10-05, S/N 32R-8029084, built 1980 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: PIPER PA 32R (301T) - Registry model: [Piper PA-32R-301T](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-32r-301t) (registry code 7103220) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming TI0-540 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-ti0-540-series) (registry code 41533, turbo-prop) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 32R-8029084 - Year built: 1980 - Airframe hours: 2812.51 - Engines: Lycoming TIO540S1AD 300 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, May 11, 2017 - Departed: GTU, GEORGETOWN, TX - Destination: MDD, MIDLAND, TX - Airport: MDD, Midland Airpark - Equipment: Onboard weather, Electronic primary flight display, Auto-pilot, ADS-B, Stall warning system ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 33; injuries: minor; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 3, without waivers/limitations; last flight review June 10, 2016; seat: left; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 530 total, 240 in this make and model, 530 as pilot in command, 12 in the last 90 days, 4 in the last 30 days, 2 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Night - Wind: 160° at 11 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Temperature: 61 °F, dew point 25 °F - Altimeter: 29.97 inHg - Observed at: KMDD ## 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 20180308001579A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20180308001579A), Mar 8, 2018: Piper PA-32R-301T, Big Spring, TX, Substantial damage. The pilot stated he departed georgetown (gad) en-route to midland airpark (mdd) at approx. 1815 CST on 3/8/2018. The wing tank quantity gauges indicated 60… ## Docket (2 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on June 19, 2018, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=96845. 4.3 MB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 4.0 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40464235&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Master.PDF - Photo (Courtesy of FAA) (item 2, .PDF, 1 photo, 299 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40464236&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%20(Courtesy%20of%20FAA)-Master.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.