- Date
- July 2, 1982, 12:30 local (17:30 UTC)
- Place
- Oberlin, KS
- Injuries
- 3 minor
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N5540PPiper PA-24-250
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report July 2, 1983
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Case key
- 72072
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
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.
Loss of engine power(total) - nonmechanical
Fuel tank selector position - improperCause
Judgment - poorCause
Forced landing
On ground/water encounter with terrain/water
Terrain condition - dirt bank/rising embankmentFactor
Gear collapsed
Analysis
The pilots aborted a landing because of suspected landing gear problems. On the subsequent approach the engine stopped when the fuel selector was correctly changed by one pilot and reset incorrectly by the other pilot. During the forced landing the aircraft collided with an embankment, damaged the prop and collapsed the landing gear.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N5540P
- Reported as
- Piper PA-24-250
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 24-604
- Airframe hours
- 2,845
- Engine
- Lycoming O-540A, 250 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Ronald W. Fowler
- Registered owner
- Ronald W. Fowler
- Departed
- HYS
- Destination
- K80
- Airport
- K80
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 29
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Flight hours
- 229 total
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Temperature
- 194 °F