- Date
- August 12, 1992, 17:15 local (21:15 UTC)
- Place
- Randleman, NC
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N3544WPiper PA-32-260
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report September 14, 1993
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19920812031209A
- Case key
- 33120
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 failure of the pilot-in-command to switch the fuel selector to a tank with fuel, after the engine failed due to fuel starvation.
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 private pilot departed with the fuel selector in the left position, and when the engine failed he did not switch the selector to the right tank. After the accident the left tank was found empty and the right tank had fuel.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N3544W
- Reported as
- Piper PA-32-260
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 32-431
- Engine
- Lycoming O-540-E, 260 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Roger Medlin
- Registered owner
- High Place Ministries Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · January 2, 1900
- Departed
- EXX · Lexington, NC
- Destination
- BUY · Burlington, NC
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
- 43
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 230 total · 48 in this make and model · 58 in the last 90 days · 21 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 80° at 9 knots
- Visibility
- 7 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 25,000 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 79 °F, dew point 72 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- GSO, 21 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.