- Date
- December 1, 1996, 10:36 local (17:36 UTC)
- Place
- Tusayan, AZ
- Injuries
- 5 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N3566XPiper PA-32R-301T
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report March 31, 1998
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19961201036899A
- Case key
- 29696
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
Fuel exhaustion due to the pilot's inadequate preflight planning and his miscalculation of the fuel required for the flight.
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
The pilot called the tower on the radio at 1009 and stated he was inbound to the airport with a low fuel state. Shortly thereafter, the pilot reported that the engine had quit and he would not make the runway. The aircraft landed on a forest service road and collided with trees during the ground roll. In a written statement to responding sheriff's deputies the pilot reported that he 'miscalculated the fuel for the duration of the trip and ran out of gas.' Examination of the fuel system revealed that it was intact and contained only residual fuel.
Factual narrative
On December 1, 1996, at 1036 hours mountain standard time, a Piper PA-32R-301T, N3566X, collided with ground obstructions during a forced landing on a fire service road near the Grand Canyon Airport, Tusayan, Arizona. The forced landing was precipitated by a loss of engine power during cruise. The aircraft incurred substantial damage. The certificated private pilot and the four passengers onboard were not injured. The aircraft was operated by the pilot on a personal cross-country flight from St. George, Utah, to the Grand Canyon Airport. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and no flight plan was filed for the operation. The flight departed St. George on the day of the accident at an undetermined time.
According to the Federal Aviation Administation Air Traffic Control Tower at Grand Canyon, the pilot called on the radio at 1009 and stated he was inbound to the airport with a low fuel state. Shortly thereafter, the pilot reported that the engine had quit and he would not make the runway. The aircraft landed on forest service road FS328 and collided with trees during the ground roll. In a written statement to responding Coconino County Sheriff's deputies the pilot reported that he "miscalculated the fuel for the duration of the trip and ran out of gas."
Air Transport of Phoenix, Arizona, is the aircraft salvage firm retained by the owner to retrieve the wreckage. The crew who picked up the aircraft were interviewed by telephone. They reported that as they disassembled the aircraft the fuel system was documented to be intact, with only residual fuel in the tanks and lines.
The pilot did not respond to repeated mail and telephone requests for a statement.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N3566X
- Reported as
- Piper PA-32R-301T (PA-32R-301)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 32R-8029029
- Engine
- Lycoming TSIO-540-S1AD, 300 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Clyde W. Crownover
- Registered owner
- John V. Shelton
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- SGU · St George, UT
- Destination
- GCN
- Airport
- GCN · Grand Canyon
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 38
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, Expired
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 200 total
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 210° at 3 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 30 °F, dew point 14 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- GCN, 7 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.