- Date
- August 9, 1986, 14:00 local (21:00 UTC)
- Place
- Elko, NV
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N9148APiper PA-38
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19860809038399A
- Case key
- 40469
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
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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
Plt executed forced lndg following pwr loss on initial climb. Acft tanks (16 gal cap ea) had been topped two hours prior, fuel receipt shows 16.6 added, refueler recalled abt 8 gals added per tank. Plt checked visually and on gages during preflight. Post-crash, operator reported finding only residual fuel fwd of selector (engine fuel starvation), 16 gals in rt tank, 3 gals in left tank, no leaks in fuel system. Engine test run normal. Reported facts are in conflict regarding full fuel and finding of 3 gals in left tank with no leakage. Analysis provides no scenario which will fit reported facts, even if undetected post-crash fuel leak drained left tank to 3 gals. Extreme (9500 ft) dens atl apparently not a factor. Pwr loss due to engine fuel starvation for undetermined reason.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N9148A
- Reported as
- Piper PA-38
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 82A0101
- Airframe hours
- 1,720
- Engine
- Lycoming O-235-L2C, 112 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Stephen J. Hodges
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · June 18, 1986
- Destination
- OGD · Ogden, UT
- Flight plan
- VFR
- Airport
- EKO · Elko Muni, runway 23, 6,400 × 150 ft, dirt
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
- 27
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 86 total · 70 in this make and model · 64 as pilot in command · 38 in the last 90 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 30 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 109 °F, dew point 91 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- EKO, 1 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.