# NTSB GAA18CA312: Piper PA 46, N148ME, Prescott, AZ, May 30, 2018 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report - Date: May 29, 2018, 21:15 local (May 30, 2018, 04:15 UTC) - Place: Prescott, AZ - Coordinates: 34.340557, -112.294166 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=34.3406&lon=-112.2942&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Enroute-descent: Fuel exhaustion](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/192) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 3 uninjured - Status: Completed, report March 18, 2019 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: General Aviation Accidents - Parties: FAA - NTSB case key (mKey): 97366 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=GAA18CA312 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/97366/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=97366 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA18CA312 ## Probable cause The pilot’s improper fuel planning, which resulted in fuel exhaustion and the subsequent total loss of engine power. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Planning/preparation: fuel planning](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02061030): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper PA-46-310P, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02061030/cases.md?model=7104605), [All aircraft, 719 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02061030/cases.md) - [Fluids: fuel](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071010): Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware · Fluid level (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper PA-46-310P, 3 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071010/cases.md?model=7104605), [All aircraft, 1,695 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071010/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Enroute-descent: Fuel exhaustion](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/192) (defining event); cases with it: [Piper PA-46-310P, 3 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/192/sequence.md?model=7104605), [All aircraft, 804 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/192/sequence.md) - [Enroute-descent: Loss of engine power (total)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341); cases with it: [Piper PA-46-310P, 11 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341/sequence.md?model=7104605), [All aircraft, 3,820 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341/sequence.md) - [Enroute-descent: Attempted remediation/recovery](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/060); cases with it: [Piper PA-46-310P, 4 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/060/sequence.md?model=7104605), [All aircraft, 1,422 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/060/sequence.md) - [Landing: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [Piper PA-46-310P, 16 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md?model=7104605), [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md) - [Landing: Part(s) separation from AC](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/338); cases with it: [Piper PA-46-310P, 3 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/338/sequence.md?model=7104605), [All aircraft, 563 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/338/sequence.md) - [Landing: Roll over](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/097); cases with it: [Piper PA-46-310P, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/097/sequence.md?model=7104605), [All aircraft, 261 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/097/sequence.md) ## Analysis According to the pilot, about 15 minutes before reaching the destination airport during descent, the engine lost power. The pilot switched fuel tanks, and the engine power was momentarily restored, but the engine stopped producing power even though he thought it "was still running all the way to impact." The pilot conducted a forced landed on a highway at night, and the right wing struck an object and separated from the airplane. The airplane came to rest inverted. According to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) aviation safety inspector (ASI) that performed the postaccident airplane examination, the fuel lines to the fuel manifold were dry, and the fuel manifold valves were dry. He reported that the fuel strainer, the diaphragm, and the fuel filter in the duel manifold were unremarkable. Fuel was found in the gascolator. The FAA ASI reported that, during his interview with the pilot, "the pilot changed his story from fuel exhaustion, to fuel contamination." The inspector reported that there were no signs of fuel contamination during the examination of the fuel system. According to the fixed-base operator (FBO) at the departure airport, the pilot requested 20 gallons of fuel. He then canceled his fuel request and walked out of the FBO. ## Factual narrative According to the pilot, about 15 minutes prior to reaching the destination airport during descent, the engine lost power. The pilot switched fuel tanks and the engine power was momentarily restored, but the engine stopped producing power, even though he thought it "was still running all the way to impact." The pilot force landed on a highway at night, and the right wing struck an object and separated from the airplane. The airplane came to rest inverted. According to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Aviation Safety Inspector (ASI) that performed the post-accident airplane examination, the fuel lines to the fuel manifold were dry, and the fuel manifold valves were dry. He reported that the fuel strainer, the diaphragm, and the fuel filter in the duel manifold were unremarkable. Fuel was found in the gascolator. The FAA Inspector reported that during his interview with the pilot, "the pilot changed his story from fuel exhaustion, to fuel contamination." The Inspector reported that there were no signs of fuel contamination during the examination of the airplane's fuel system. According to the fixed base operator at the departure airport, the pilot requested 20 gallons of fuel. He then canceled his fuel request and walked out of the FBO. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N148ME](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N148ME-2020-08-27), registration cancelled 2020-08-27, S/N 46-8608009, built 1986 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: PIPER PA 46 - Registry model: [Piper PA-46-310P](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-46-310p) (registry code 7104605) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Continental TSIO-520 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-tsio-520-series) (registry code 17040, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 46-8608009 - Year built: 1986 - Engines: Continental TSIO-520 reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Operator: 1st Avenue Malibu Services LLC - Registered owner: 1st Avenue Malibu Services LLC - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Departed: SNA, SANTA ANA, CA - Destination: PRC, PRESCOTT, AZ - Flight plan: IFR - Airport: PRC, Ernest A Love Field - Equipment: Onboard weather, Electronic flight bag or handheld device, Auto-pilot ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 34; injuries: minor; private, airline transport; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1; last flight review March 27, 2018; seat: left; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 3,100 total, 3 in this make and model, 2,000 as pilot in command, 60 in the last 90 days, 22 in the last 30 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Night - Wind: 210° at 7 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 72 °F, dew point 28 °F - Altimeter: 29.95 inHg - Observed at: KPRC, 20 nm away ## 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 20180529015149A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20180529015149A), May 29, 2018: Piper PA-46-310P, Prescott, AZ, Substantial damage. On may 29, 2018, about 18:05 PDT a 1986 Piper malibu PA-46-310P serial number 46-8608009, N148ME standard category aircraft departed whiteman airport (kwhp) in… ## Docket (3 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on October 29, 2018, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=97366. 3.7 MB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 3.5 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40467760&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Master.PDF - Memorandum for Record - Telephone Interviews (item 2, .PDF, 125 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40467761&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Memorandum%20for%20Record%20-%20Telephone%20Interviews-Master.PDF - Photo (item 3, .PDF, 1 photo, 71 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40467762&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo-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.