- Date
- July 23, 1995, 13:25 local (17:25 UTC)
- Place
- Avoca, PA
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N1613PPiper PA-22-150
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report January 29, 1996
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19950723019279A
- Case key
- 39012
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 poor inflight decision and improper fuel management resulting in fuel exhaustion and a subsequent forced landing over rocky terrain.
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
Approach control asked the pilot how much fuel remained, and the pilot replied that there was no reserve fuel. The controller advised the pilot of an alternate airport closer than the planned destination. The pilot elected to proceed to the planned destination. During the approach, about two miles from the destination airport, the engine lost total power and the pilot performed a forced landing in a stone quarry. The FAA inspector reported that the fuel tanks were inspected and about one quart of fuel was found. The pilot stated that there were no mechanical malfunctions, and 'forced landing resulted from weather related fuel exhaustion at end of cross country trip. Closer attention to head winds and alternate airports could have prevented the accident.'
Factual narrative
On July 23, 1995, at 1325 eastern daylight time, a Piper PA- 22-150, N1613P, was substantially damaged when the engine lost total power and a forced landing was performed in Avoca, Pennsylvania. The private pilot was not injured. The flight originated at Plattsburg, New York, at 0925, destined for Wilkes-Barre/Scranton International Airport, Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and there was an instrument flight plan for the personal flight conducted under 14 CFR Part 91.
In the NTSB 6120.1/2, the pilot stated:
...Altitude was 7000 feet....During this interval, I was asked by approach for my exact fuel situation....Approach was so advised, with emphasis that there really was no further reserve fuel. I was offered an alternate airport as an option (Seamans, 9N3)....I did not accept the alternate. It was a closer airport and would have taken a shorter time, however, I was much more familiar with the terrain around the approach to Wilkes-Barre and was already planning my direction of flight should an emergency develop....I elected inbound to [Wilkes-Barre] and asked for a gradual decent from 7000 feet. The controller...said that he would keep me up high for as long as possible....I got to 2500 feet and 2 miles from touchdown....During final clearance to minimum decent altitude the engine lost all power....
Additionally, the pilot stated that there were no mechanical malfunctions, and "[the] forced landing resulted from weather related fuel exhaustion at [the] end of [the] cross country trip. Closer attention to head winds and alternate airports could have prevented the accident."
The Federal Aviation Administration Inspector stated:
...The pilot reported he ran out of fuel short of the runway. He made an emergency landing in a stone quarry doing damage to the [left] wing, [left] gear leg, nose gear, and propeller. The fuel tanks were inspected for fuel...by a mechanic...at the accident scene. The mechanic reported about one quart of fuel was found....
Aircraft
- Registration
- N1613P
- Reported as
- Piper PA-22-150
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 22-2427
- Airframe hours
- 3,025
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-A1A, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Improcet, Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · May 5, 1995 · 30 hours before
- Departed
- PLB · Plattsburg, NY
- Destination
- AVP · PA
- Flight plan
- IFR
- Airport
- AVP · Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Int
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
- 57
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine sea, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 904 total · 55 in this make and model · 786 as pilot in command · 30 in the last 90 days · 11 in the last 30 days · 4 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Visibility
- 3 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 2,800 ft broken
- Temperature
- 81 °F, dew point 64 °F
- Altimeter
- 28.00 inHg
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.
Other investigations on N1613P · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.