# NTSB WPR22LA041: Piper PA-28-180, N9467J, Farmington, NM, November 17, 2021

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Minor injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report
- Date: November 17, 2021, 10:44 local (17:44 UTC)
- Place: Farmington, NM
- Coordinates: 36.738851, -108.20743
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=36.7389&lon=-108.2074&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Approach](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/500) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Defining event: [Approach-VFR pattern final: Fuel starvation](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/191)
- Highest injury: Minor injuries
- Injuries: 1 minor
- Status: Completed
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class: Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office: Western Pacific Region
- Parties: Federal Aviation Administration
- NTSB case key (mKey): 104274
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=WPR22LA041
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/104274/pdf
- NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=104274
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR22LA041

## Probable cause

The pilot’s inadequate fuel management which resulted in a total loss of engine power due to fuel starvation.

## Findings

NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause.

- [Fluids: fuel](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071010): Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware · Fluid management (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper PA-28-180, 32 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071010/cases.md?model=7102808), [All aircraft, 1,695 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071010/cases.md)
- [Use of equip/info: use of equip/system](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063015): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper PA-28-180, 16 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063015/cases.md?model=7102808), [All aircraft, 1,391 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063015/cases.md)

## Sequence of events

The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened.

- [Approach-VFR pattern final: Fuel starvation](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/191) (defining event); cases with it: [Piper PA-28-180, 17 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/191/sequence.md?model=7102808), [All aircraft, 733 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/191/sequence.md)

## Analysis

The pilot reported that, he calculated 30 gallons of fuel to complete the accident flight and then departed the airport with 36 gallons of fuel onboard. A few minutes later he returned to the departure airport after he noticed that the door was not latched properly. The subsequent departure and flight were uneventful until the pilot was approaching his destination and had been cleared to land. At this time, he observed the fuel tanks were between 0 and 10 gallons on each side. He then selected the left fuel tank as it appeared to have more fuel, but within one minute the engine lost power. The pilot then notified air traffic control that he would not make the runway and landed in a dirt lot, which resulted in substantial damage to the right aileron and wings. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. He stated that the operator traveled to the site and observed about 4 gallons in the right fuel tank and no fuel in the left tank. The pilot further reported that the accident was the result of fuel starvation, inaccuracy of the fuel gauges and improper fuel planning.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N9467J](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N9467J-2023-03-04), registration cancelled 2023-03-04, S/N 28-3581, built 1966 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA-28-180
- Registry model: [Piper PA-28-180](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-28-180) (registry code 7102808) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Lycoming O&VO-360 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-o-vo-360-series) (registry code 41514, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 28-3581
- Year built: 1966
- Airframe hours: 6258.6
- Engines: Lycoming O-360-A3A 180 hp reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Personal, Part 91
- Operator: Red Rock Flying School LLC
- Registered owner: Red Rock Flying School LLC
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Last inspection: 100 hour, October 28, 2021, 81 hours before
- Departed: FFZ, Mesa, AZ
- Destination: Same as departure
- Airport: FMN, Four Corners Rgnl, runway 07/25, 6,704 × 100 ft, asphalt
- Equipment: Electronic flight bag or handheld device, ADS-B

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 23; injuries: minor; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, without waivers/limitations; last flight review September 25, 2021; seat: left; restraint: lap only; flight hours: 151.1 total, 135.6 in this make and model, 92.1 as pilot in command, 34 in the last 90 days, 10.1 in the last 30 days

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 270° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Temperature: 48 °F, dew point 18 °F
- Altimeter: 30.15 inHg
- Observed at: KFMN
- METAR: KFMN 171753Z AUTO 27010KT 10SM CLR 09/M08 A3015 RMK AO2 SLP207 T00941083 10094 21028 50009 $

## 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 20211117019639A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20211117019639A), Nov 17, 2021: Piper PA-28-180, Farmington, NM, Substantial damage. On November 17, 2021 at 10:44 MST, a Piper PA-28-180 cherokee, single engine airplane [privacy data omitted] was on a cross country flight from ffz, mesa AZ to…

## Docket (4 files)

The files NTSB released with the investigation on December 9, 2021, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=104274. 3.5 MB in all.

- Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 9 pages, 1.6 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=12969960&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=NTSB%206120%20Form%20Redacted-Rel.pdf
- Email correspondence with pilot (item 2, PDF, 5 pages, 171 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=12989176&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=email%20correspondence%20with%20pilot_Redacted-Rel.pdf
- Email correspondence with operator (item 3, PDF, 4 pages, 27 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=12988761&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=operator%20correspondence_Redacted-Rel.pdf
- Accident photographs (item 4, PDF, 3 pages, 1.7 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=12971100&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Accident%20Photographs-Rel.pdf

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.

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