- Date
- July 7, 1999, 15:30 local (22:30 UTC)
- Place
- Cottage Grove, OR
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N4707CPiper PA-22
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report August 3, 2000
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19990707008449A
- Case key
- 46978
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 inadequate management of fuel which led to fuel starvation.. A related factor was the unsuitable 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
The aircraft experienced a sudden loss of engine power and the pilot initiated an off-field landing. During the landing roll-out, the aircraft's nose wheel collided with a rock causing the aircraft to nose over. The pilot unintentionally ran the left fuel tank dry. He selected the right fuel tank but, was unsuccessful in restarting the engine and elected to land in a nearby field. No evidence was found of a mechanical failure or malfunction.
Factual narrative
On July 7, 1999, about 1530 Pacific daylight time, a Piper PA-22, N4707C, registered to and operated by the pilot, was substantially damaged during an off airport forced landing following a sudden loss of engine power. The accident occurred approximately three miles west of Cottage Grove Airport, Cottage Grove Oregon. The private pilot, the sole occupant of the aircraft, was not injured. No flight plan was filed and visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the 14CFR91 personal/pleasure flight. The flight originated from Gasquet Airport, Gasquet, California approximately one hour and 30 minutes prior to the accident.
While in a cruise configuration, approximately 3,500 feet MSL, the aircraft experienced a sudden loss of engine power. The pilot initiated an off-field landing in a open field. During the landing roll-out, the aircraft's nose wheel struck a large rock causing the aircraft to nose over, resulting in substantial damage to the aircraft's wings and fuselage.
The pilot stated he ran the left fuel tank dry. He selected the right fuel tank, but was unsuccessful in restarting the engine and elected to land in a nearby field. The pilot reported the right fuel tank was full at the time of the accident.
No evidence was found to indicate a mechanical failure or malfunction.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N4707C
- Reported as
- Piper PA-22
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 22-3291
- Airframe hours
- 2,048
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Robert L. Dunn
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · June 12, 1999 · 4 hours before
- Departed
- 0O9 · Gasquet, CA
- Destination
- SLE · Salem, OR
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
- 52
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 767 total · 2 in this make and model · 690 as pilot in command · 30 in the last 90 days · 8 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 30° at 3 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 3,700 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 68 °F, dew point 48 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- EUG, 21 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.
Other investigations on N4707C · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.