- Date
- January 4, 1994, 08:36 local (13:36 UTC)
- Place
- Live Oak, FL
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N8331UPiper PA-32R-301
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report November 18, 1994
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19940104000159A
- Case key
- 37475
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 improper use of the fuel selector by the pilot-in-command by switching to an empty fuel tank. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's failure to switch back to a tank with fuel.
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 was in cruise flight and switched from the left to the right fuel tank. The engine sputtered and quit. He attempted a forced landing to an airport below him, and when he lowered the landing gear the descent rate increased and he crashed short of the airport. The pilot stated he never attempted to switch back to the left fuel tank after the engine quit. Examination of the airplane after the accident revealed the left fuel tank had about 20 gallons of fuel and the right fuel tank was empty.
Factual narrative
On January 4, 1994, about 0836 eastern standard time, N8331U, a Piper PA-32R-310 registered to and operated by the pilot Sirois Barker crashed in Live Oak, Florida, while on a 14 CFR 91 personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and an IFR flight plan was filed for the flight from Lakeland, Florida, to Valdosta, Georgia. The airplane was substantially damaged and the pilot, the sole occupant, reported minor injuries. The flight originated from Lakeland, Florida, about 45 minutes earlier.
The pilot stated that he switched from the left to the right tank and the engine sputtered and failed. He did not switch back to the left tank and attempted a forced landing to Live Oak Airport. When he lowered the landing gear his descent rate increased and he crashed short of the airport.
Examination of the airplane by FAA personnel after the accident revealed the left tank had about 20 gallons of fuel and the right tank was empty.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N8331U
- Reported as
- Piper PA-32R-301
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 8129037
- Airframe hours
- 2,723
- Engine
- Lycoming IO-540-5A1D, 300 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Barker, Sirios C.
- Registered owner
- Barker, Siros C.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · November 27, 1993 · 17 hours before
- Departed
- LAL · Lakeland, FL
- Destination
- VLD · Valdosta, GA
- Flight plan
- IFR
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
- 50
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 1,550 total · 1,250 in this make and model · 1,450 as pilot in command
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 280° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 7 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 4,500 ft broken
- Temperature
- 45 °F, dew point 34 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- THL, 27 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.