# NTSB NYC07LA138: Piper PA38, N193BA, Jacksonville, FL, June 9, 2007 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: June 9, 2007, 17:00 local (21:00 UTC) - Place: Jacksonville, FL - Coordinates: 30.288888, -81.387222 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=30.2889&lon=-81.3872&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed, report June 30, 2008 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: FAA/FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 66013 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=NYC07LA138 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/66013/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC07LA138 ## Probable cause The pilot's failure to perform adequate pre-flight fuel consumption calculations, which resulted in a loss of power due to fuel starvation. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of engine power, cruise - fuel consumption calculations - inadequate, pilot in command (cause) - fluid,fuel - starvation - Forced landing, descent - emergency - On ground/water encounter with terrain/water, emergency landing - terrain condition - sand bar ## Analysis The pilot departed his home airport and flew to a nearby airport (a 10 minute flight), where he performed three touch-and-go landings. About 5 minutes into the return flight, the airplane's engine began to "cough and sputter," and then lost power. The pilot attempted, unsuccessfully, to restart the engine, and then performed a forced landing to a beach, during which the airplane was substantially damaged. The accident flight was the second flight since the pilot completed an annual inspection on the airplane. Prior to the annual inspection, the airplane was not flown for 14 years. The airplane was last refueled on the morning of the accident with 20 gallons of fuel, and was then flown for approximately 90 minutes, prior to the accident flight. Examination of the airplane revealed five gallons of fuel in the right fuel tank, and the left fuel tank was empty. No fuel was observed in the input line to the fuel pump, the output line from the fuel pump, or the gascolator. The airplane's fuel consumption was between 7 to 10 gallons per hour. ## Factual narrative On June 9, 2007, at 1700 eastern daylight time, a Piper PA-38-112, N193BA, was substantially damaged during a forced landing in Jacksonville, Florida. The certificated commercial pilot and passenger were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the flight which originated at the Herlong Airport (HEG), Jacksonville, Florida. The local personal flight was conducted under 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. According to the pilot, he originally departed from his home base at Craig Municipal Airport (CRG), Jacksonville, Florida, at 1630, and flew to HEG to practice takeoffs and landings. After three touch-and-go landings, the pilot departed for the return flight to CRG, during which he decided to fly over the beach. About 5 minutes into the flight, the airplane's engine began to "cough and sputter," and then lost power. The pilot stated he switched fuel tanks from the right to the left tank, turned the boost pump on, and attempted unsuccessfully to restart the engine. He then performed a forced landing to the beach, during which the airplane was substantially damaged. The pilot reported that the accident flight was the second flight since he completed an annual inspection of the airplane. Prior to the annual inspection, the airplane was not flown for 14 years. The airplane was last refueled on the morning of the accident with 20 gallons of fuel, and was then flown for approximately 90 minutes, prior to the accident flight. Examination of the airplane by a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector revealed that there were five gallons of fuel in the right fuel tank, and the left fuel tank was empty. No fuel was observed in the input line to the fuel pump, the output line from the fuel pump, or the gascolator. According to a representative from the aircraft manufacturer, the Piper PA-38-112 had two 16-gallon fuel tanks, 1 gallon of which was unusable in each tank. The airplane's engine consumed 9.5 gallons per hour at full power, 6.7 gallons per hour at 75 percent power, and 5.8 gallons per hour at 65 percent power. According to FAA records, the pilot held a commercial pilot certificate with ratings for airplane multi-engine land, airplane single-engine land, and instrument airplane. He also held an airframe and powerplant mechanic certificate. Weather reported at Jacksonville International Airport (JAX), at 1656, included calm winds, 10 miles visibility, few clouds at 5,000 feet, scattered clouds at 25,000 feet, temperature 35 degrees Celsius, dew point 19 degrees Celsius, and altimeter setting 29.84 inches mercury. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N193BA](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N193BA), registered now, S/N 38-78A0083, built 1978 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: PIPER PA38 (112) - Registry model: [Piper PA-38-112](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-38-112) (registry code 7103812) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming 0-235 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-235-series) (registry code 41505, 4 cycle) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 38-78A0083 - Airframe hours: 5788 - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Operator: Doug Lundeen - Registered owner: Phillip Hobbs - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, June 1, 2007 - Departed: HEG, Jacksonville, FL - Destination: CRG, Jacksonville, FL ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 49; injuries: none; commercial; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land, single-engine sea; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, with waivers/limitations; last flight review January 1, 2006; seat: left; flight hours: 2,058 total, 2 in this make and model, 1,996 as pilot in command, 19 in the last 90 days, 19 in the last 30 days, 2 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: calm - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 95 °F, dew point 66 °F - Altimeter: 29.86 inHg - Observed at: JAX ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20070609011609A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20070609011609A), Jun 9, 2007: Piper PA38112, Jacksonville, FL, Substantial damage. (-23) Aircraft suffered engine power loss at 500 feet horizontally from shore at an altitude of 500 feet. Pilot landed aircraft on beach, sustaining damage to… From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.