- Date
- January 13, 1996, 13:30 local (18:30 UTC)
- Place
- Lake City, FL
- Injuries
- 3 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N7498PPiper PA-24-250
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report May 9, 1996
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19960113000589A
- Case key
- 37971
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
Failure of the pilot to select a fuel tank with adequate fuel for takeoff, which resulted in a loss of engine power due to fuel starvation during the initial climb, and improper flare by the pilot during the subsequent forced land.
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 stated that he had selected an empty fuel tank and the engine lost power just after lift off. He lowered the landing gear and attempted a landing on the remaining runway. During the landing, the left main landing gear collapsed. The left stabilizer spar and the aft fuselage bulkhead were also damaged during the landing.
Factual narrative
On January 13, 1996, about 1330 eastern standard time, N7498P, a Piper PA-24-250 crashed on takeoff at Lake City Airport, Lake City, Florida, while on a 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and no flight plan was filed. The airplane was substantially damaged and the pilot and two passengers reported no injuries. The flight was originating at the time of the accident.
The pilot stated he selected an empty fuel tank and the engine lost power just after liftoff. He lowered the landing gear and attempted a landing on the remaining runway. During the landing the left main landing gear collapsed. The left stabilizer spar and the aft fuselage bulkhead were also damaged during the landing.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N7498P
- Reported as
- Piper PA-24-250
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 24-2693
- Airframe hours
- 2,339
- Engine
- Lycoming O-540-A1D5, 250 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Marcel C. Fromond
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Utility
- Last inspection
- Annual · October 21, 1995 · 41 hours before
- Departed
- 31J · FL
- Destination
- PVT · Cannon Creek, FL
- Airport
- 31J · Lake City, runway 28, 8,002 × 150 ft, asphalt
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
- 45
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 1,180 total · 119 in this make and model · 989 as pilot in command · 40 in the last 90 days · 17 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 10° at 10 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 54 °F, dew point 28 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- GNV, 45 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.