- Date
- May 27, 1992, 20:45 local (May 28, 1992, 00:45 UTC)
- Place
- Miami, FL
- Injuries
- 2 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N5830UPiper PA-28-140
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Night/dark
- Status
- Completed · report August 26, 1993
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19920527016689A
- Case key
- 33095
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
Total loss of engine power due to improper placement of the fuel selector by the pilot-in-command following partial loss of engine power due to partial blockage of a fuel line. Contributing to the accident was the dark night condition and improper maintenance by unknown persons.
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
During cruise flt, the CFI moved the fuel selector from the lt to the rt position. The eng RPM then began fluctuating. He moved the fuel selector back & the eng began operating normally but began losing power. While descending during the dark night for a forced landing, the acft collided with a black net covering a nursery & poles supporting the net. Exam of the cockpit revealed that the fuel selector was in the off position. It was not moved by fire or police dept personnel. Exam of the acft revealed that the rt wing fuel tank flexible line which attaches to the fuel tank, was partially blocked by contaminant. The line was manufactured in 1969. Also, the rt wing fuel tank & carburetor finger screens were partially blocked by contaminant. According to note no.18 of the Piper insp checklist, the flexible fuel line is req'd to be replaced when the eng is overhauled, which occurred in 1984. The carburetor bowl was drained which revealed that it contained less than approximately 3 ounces of fuel. The pax stated he moved the fuel selector without the knowledge of the CFI & he was at the controls at the time of the loss of eng power.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N5830U
- Reported as
- Piper PA-28-140
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 28-26661
- Airframe hours
- 4,416
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-E2A, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Operator
- Gordon Air Services, Inc.
- Registered owner
- Hauck, Ronald L. Jr. & Sr.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Utility; Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · July 1, 1991 · 169 hours before
- Departed
- X51 · Homestead, FL
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
- 29
- Certificates
- Commercial, Flight instructor
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 1,094 total · 2 in this make and model · 878 as pilot in command · 12 in the last 90 days · 12 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Night/dark
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 84 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.