- Date
- July 9, 1995, 13:20 local (17:20 UTC)
- Place
- Marshfield, MA
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N9143YPiper PA-28-181
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report August 31, 1995
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19950709045879A
- Case key
- 38987
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 improper preflight planning/preparation, inaccurate fuel consumption calculations and failure to refuel, resulting in fuel exhaustion and a subsequent collision with trees during the forced landing.
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
During the solo cross country flight, the student pilot performed a touch and go landing at the destination airport and started to return to the departure airport. During the return trip, the engine lost total power, and the pilot performed a forced landing. The pilot stated, '...I proceeded back [to Marshfield] and ran out of fuel approximately 3 miles short of the runway....' Additionally, the pilot reported that the accident could have been prevented by 'refueling.' The FAA inspector's statement stated, '...no evidence of fuel leakage at the scene....' Additionally, approximately 2 gallons of fuel were found, which consisted of 1 gallon in each, the right and left, fuel tank.
Factual narrative
On July 9, 1995, about 1320 eastern daylight time, a Piper PA-28-181, N9143Y, collided with trees during a forced landing near Marshfield, Massachusetts. The student pilot was not injured and the airplane was destroyed. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the flight which originated from Marshfield Airport at 0930. There was a visual flight rules flight plan filed which had not been activated. The flight was conducted as an instructional flight by Shoreline Aviation, under CFR 14 Part 91.
In his report, the pilot stated:
The flight was a cross country solo flight. After weather briefing, proceeded to Westerly, Rhode Island. Flight to Westerly was longer than expected so did a touch [and] go landing and started to return to Marshfield. I strayed from course until I found myself north of Norwood. I proceeded back and ran out of fuel approximately 3 miles short of the runway [at Marshfield Airport]....Left about 0930 and landed approximately 1300 to 1315. No services obtained enroute.
Additionally, in the NTSB form 6120.1/2, under recommendations of how this accident could have been prevented, the pilot stated, "refueling."
The FAA Inspector stated in her report,
...Investigation revealed no evidence of fuel leakage at the scene. Upon inspection of the right fuel tank, a quantity of approximately 1 gallon was found. The integrity of the left tank and system was intact and inspection revealed approximately 1 gallon. The certification data reflects that this make and model aircraft has 2 gallons unusable fuel, approximately 1 gallon per wing tank. After the aircraft was uprighted and allowed to settle, the fuel strainer bowl drain was checked for fuel. Only a few drops came out of the strainer.
The pilot stated that he noticed he was low on fuel but thought he would make it to [Marshfield]. The engine sputtered at one point and he switched tanks. The engine ran for a while but then stopped at which point he began searching for a clearing in which to land. Altitude was lost prior to reaching the clearing....
Aircraft
- Registration
- N9143Y
- Reported as
- Piper PA-28-181
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 288690026
- Airframe hours
- 4,477
- Engine
- Lycoming O-360-A4A, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Operator
- Shoreline Aviation
- Registered owner
- Scott Aviation Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · June 1, 1995 · 50 hours before
- Departed
- 3B2
- Destination
- 3B2
- Flight plan
- VFR
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
- 55
- Certificate
- Student
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 90 total · 3 in this make and model · 12 as pilot in command · 20 in the last 90 days · 5 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 250° at 9 knots, gusting 17
- Visibility
- 7 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 3,000 ft broken
- Temperature
- 75 °F, dew point 55 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- NZW, 12 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.