- Date
- September 29, 2018, 15:30 local (19:30 UTC)
- Place
- Crewe, VA
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N6148PPiper PA24
- Defining event
- Landing: Aerodynamic stall/spin
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report April 8, 2019
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20180929016509A
- Case key
- 98393
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 pilot’s failure to maintain adequate airspeed and his exceedance of the airplane’s critical angle of attack, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s improper fuel management, which resulted in fuel starvation and the subsequent total loss of engine power.
Findings · 5
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The pilot reported that, after a cross-country flight, he wanted to fuel the airplane at the airport, but the fuel tanks were locked. He then flew to a nearby airport to fuel the airplane, but once over the airport, he was told via the UNICOM frequency that the airport was closed for construction and that he would not be able to land. He returned to the departure airport, and as he reduced power and performed his "gump" check, the engine lost total power. He switched from the left fuel tank to the right fuel tank, turned the fuel pump on, and pumped the throttle to no avail. He continued downwind and abeam the runway numbers and added flaps. On base, he felt the airplane was low and decided to head straight for the runway. Near the beginning of the runway, the airplane aerodynamically stalled and landed hard. The airplane slid about 300 ft and came to rest in the grass adjacent the runway. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The Federal Aviation Administration inspector reported that he verified that the left fuel tank was completely empty. He also removed the drain plug from the carburetor, which was also empty. Additionally, the insurance adjuster reported that he looked into the fuel tanks with a scope and saw that the left fuel tank was "bone dry" and that the right tank had about 12 gallons of fuel.
Factual narrative
The pilot reported that, after a cross country flight, he wanted to fuel the airplane at the airport, but the fuel tanks were locked. He then flew to a nearby airport to fuel the airplane, but once over the airport he was told via the universal communication frequency (UNICOM) that the airport was closed for construction and he would not be able to land. He returned to the departure airport and as he reduced power and performed his "gump" check, the engine had a total power loss. He switched from the left fuel tank to the right fuel tank, turned the fuel pump on, and pumped the throttle, but "still no power". He continued downwind and abeam the runway numbers, he added flaps. On base, he felt the airplane was low and decided to head straight for the runway. Near the beginning of the runway, the airplane aerodynamically stalled and landed hard. The airplane slid about 300 ft and came to rest in the grass adjacent the runway. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The Federal Aviation Administration inspector reported that he verified that the left fuel tank was completely empty. He also removed the drain plug from the carburetor, which was empty as well. Additionally, the insurance adjuster reported that he looked into the fuel tanks with a scope and observed that the left fuel tank was "bone dry" and the right tank had about 12 gallons of fuel.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N6148P
- Reported as
- Piper PA24 (250)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 24-1249
- Built
- 1959
- Engine
- Lycoming O-540 SERIES, 250 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · May 21, 2018
- Departed
- W81 · Crewe, VA
- Destination
- W81 · Crewe, VA
- Airport
- W81 · Crewe Muni, runway 33, 3,300 × 60 ft, asphalt
- Equipment
- Handheld GPS
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
- 51
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- November 2, 2017
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 448 total · 157 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 79 °F, dew point 66 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.25 inHg
- Observed at
- KBKT, 9 nm away
Docket · 6
The files NTSB released with the investigation on December 17, 2018, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 2.8 MB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.
Other investigations on N6148P · 2
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.