# NTSB LAX98LA281: Piper PA-28-140, N55038, Phoenix, AZ, September 3, 1998 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: September 2, 1998, 20:06 local (Sep 3, 1998, 03:06 UTC) - Place: Phoenix, AZ - Location: 33.6923° N, 112.0481° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs from NTSB’s distance and direction from PHOENIX DEER VALLEY (DVT), within about a mile (OpenAirDocs) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=33.6923&lon=-112.0481&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Approach](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/500) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed, report June 21, 2000 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 43854 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=LAX98LA281 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/43854/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX98LA281 ## Probable cause Fuel starvation due to the pilot's inadequate in-flight fuel management and his failure to select a tank containing fuel prior to the loss of power. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of engine power(total) - nonmechanical, approach - fluid,fuel - starvation (cause) - fuel management - inadequate, pilot in command (cause) - fuel supply - not selected, pilot in command (cause) - Forced landing, emergency descent/landing - On ground/water encounter with terrain/water, landing - roll - terrain condition - dirt bank/rising embankment - light condition - dark night ## Analysis After a local 1-hour night flight the pilot was returning to the airport. At 1,000 feet agl, and 4 1/2 miles from the airport, the airplane experienced a loss of engine power. The pilot switched fuel tanks and went through the emergency checklist but was unable to gain a restart. The pilot landed hard in a landfill area and collided with a dirt bank during the landing roll. The fuel selector was found positioned to the right fuel tank, which had a small amount of fuel in it. About 3 to 4 gallons of fuel was found in a puddle underneath the right wing. The left wing tank had no fuel in it. ## Factual narrative On September 2, 1998, at 2006 hours mountain standard time, a Piper PA-28-140, N55038, experienced a loss of engine power and made a forced landing in a landfill area near the Deer Valley Airport, Phoenix, Arizona. The airplane, operated under 14 CFR Part 91, sustained substantial damage. Neither the private pilot/owner nor the passenger was injured. Visual meteorological conditions existed for the local personal night flight and no flight plan was filed. The flight had originated from the Deer Valley airport at 1930. In the pilot's written statement he reported that after flying for 1 hour, they were approximately 4 1/2 miles from the airport when the airplane experienced an engine failure. He switched tanks and went through the emergency checklist in an attempt to restart the engine. The statement does not state which fuel tank had been selected for the flight. The pilot reported that the airplane was approximately 1,000 feet above ground level (agl). He stated that he was unable to land on a road due to vehicles and high-tension wires, his other option was a landfill. The pilot stated that due to the dark conditions and inability to see terrain he landed hard. In an interview with an officer from the Phoenix Police Department, the pilot stated that he had conducted a preflight inspection and that he "had plenty of fuel." He and his passenger had flown for approximately 45 minutes before returning to the airport. Upon returning to the airport the engine began to sputter. The pilot stated that he switched to the other tank and turned the fuel pump on. He reported that the engine stopped, he switched back to the original fuel tank, and the engine continued to sputter. Aircraft recovery personnel noted that the fuel selector was positioned to the right tank. They further reported that "there was a minimal amount of fuel in the right tank," and that no fuel was found in the left tank. An inspector from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) examined the airplane on-scene and noted that there was not a lot of fuel in the right tank and the left tank had no fuel in it. The selector position was on the right fuel tank. There was a puddle of fuel underneath the right fuel tank that he estimated to be approximately 3-5 gallons. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N55038](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N55038-2000-04-06), registration cancelled 2000-04-06, S/N 28-7325310 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Piper PA-28-140 - Registry model: [Piper PA-28-140](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-28-140) (registry code 7102802) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 28-1325310 - Airframe hours: 3116 - Engines: Lycoming O-320-E3D 150 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: Mitchell C. Pepper - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, January 3, 1998, 83 hours before - Departed: DVT - Airport: DVT, Deer Valley, runway 7R, 8,200 × 100 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 43; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; seat: left; flight hours: 238 total, 83 in this make and model, 203 as pilot in command, 38 in the last 90 days, 15 in the last 30 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Night/dark - Wind: 10° at 5 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 1,000 ft broken - Temperature: 88 °F, dew point 57 °F - Altimeter: 29.00 inHg - Observed at: DVT, 5 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 19980902022579A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19980902022579A), Sep 2, 1998: Piper PA28140, Phoenix, AZ, Substantial damage. (-23) Pilot departed dvt for a sightseeing flight. On approach to dvt engine began to lose power. Pilot reported that he was running off rt tank then switched… ## Other investigations on N55038 (1) 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. - [NTSB ANC82DA041](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC82DA041), May 24, 1982: Piper PA-28-140 (N55038), Portage Creek, AK, substantial damage 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.