- Date
- July 17, 1999, 17:00 local (21:00 UTC)
- Place
- Dunedin, FL
- Injuries
- 2 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N3030QPiper PA-28-181
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report September 7, 2000
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19990717036839A
- Case key
- 46842
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 pilot's inadequate fuel management which led to fuel exhaustion and subsequent loss of engine power.
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 upon descending through about 2,000 feet the engine lost power, and while making a forced landing in a parking lot the aircraft collided with trees. The pilot further stated that he ran out of fuel. The FAA inspector who conducted a postcrash examination of the airplane stated that there was no fuel in the fuel tanks or fuel lines.
Factual narrative
On July 17, 1999, about 1700 eastern daylight time, a Piper PA-28-181, N3030Q, registered to Aviation Atlanta Incorporated, crashed while attempting a forced landing following loss of engine power at Dunedin, Florida, while on a Title 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and no flight plan was filed. The aircraft received substantial damage, and the private-rated pilot and one passenger received minor injuries. The flight originated from Atlanta, Georgia, the same day, about 0900, and made an enroute stop at Williston, Florida.
The pilot stated that upon descending through about 2,000 feet the engine failed, and while making a forced landing in a parking lot the aircraft collided with trees. The pilot further stated that the engine failed due to fuel exhaustion.
According to an FAA inspector who conducted a postcrash examination of the airplane, there was no fuel in the fuel tanks or fuel lines.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N3030Q
- Reported as
- Piper PA-28-181
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 28-7990299
- Airframe hours
- 5,950
- Engine
- Lycoming PA-28-181 ARC, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Aviation Atlanta Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · May 12, 1999 · 10 hours before
- Departed
- X60 · Williston, FL
- Destination
- PIE · St. Petersburg, 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
- 26
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 110 total · 24 in this make and model · 90 as pilot in command · 14 in the last 90 days · 8 in the last 30 days · 4 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 100° at 17 knots, gusting 25
- Visibility
- 5 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 2,000 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 82 °F, dew point 72 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- PIE, 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.