# NTSB WPR22LA204: Piper PA-32-300, N561PK, Snohomish, WA, June 4, 2022

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 3 · Limited · Final report
- Date: June 4, 2022, 14:30 local (21:30 UTC)
- Place: Snohomish, WA
- Coordinates: 47.886832, -122.10277 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=47.8868&lon=-122.1028&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Initial climb](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/350) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Defining event: [Initial climb: Fuel starvation](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/191)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 2 uninjured
- Status: Completed
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class: Class 3
- NTSB office: Western Pacific Region
- Parties: Federal Aviation Administration
- NTSB case key (mKey): 105221
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=WPR22LA204
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/105221/pdf
- NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=105221
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR22LA204

## Probable cause

The total loss of engine power during takeoff due to fuel starvation and the pilot’s improper fuel tank selection and inadequate preflight inspection.

## 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 level (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper PA-32-300, 9 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071010/cases.md?model=7103212), [All aircraft, 1,695 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071010/cases.md)
- [Inspection: preflight inspection](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02061510): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper PA-32-300, 3 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02061510/cases.md?model=7103212), [All aircraft, 551 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02061510/cases.md)
- [Info processing/decision: decision making/judgment](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041520): Personnel issues › Action/decision · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper PA-32-300, 14 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041520/cases.md?model=7103212), [All aircraft, 3,098 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041520/cases.md)

## Sequence of events

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

- [Initial climb: Fuel starvation](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/191) (defining event); cases with it: [Piper PA-32-300, 10 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/191/sequence.md?model=7103212), [All aircraft, 733 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/191/sequence.md)
- [Landing-flare/touchdown: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [Piper PA-32-300, 43 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md?model=7103212), [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md)

## Analysis

The pilot reported that he had flown about 10 minutes from one airport to another and, after landing, the engine “hiccuped” like it was it was losing power and then “revved up.” The pilot turned the fuel pump off and back on, and the engine seemed to clear up. The pilot performed an uneventful engine runup and elected to conduct a short-field takeoff. As the airplane climbed through about 700 ft mean sea level (msl), the engine began to surge, followed by a total loss of engine power. The pilot attempted to land on a nearby road; however, he realized he was unable to reach it and instead landed in an open field, which resulted in substantial damage to the engine mount. The pilot reported that before the flight, the owner of the airplane sent him a text message telling him that the fuel selector valve was on the left tip tank. The pilot didn’t believe that to be an issue; however, he could not remember if he put the selector valve on the left main fuel tank or not. The owner of the airplane estimated that the left tip tank had about 4 gallons of fuel in it when he put the airplane in the hangar. Postaccident examination of the airframe and engine revealed no evidence of mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. During the examination, the left-wing auxiliary fuel tank was found void of fuel. It’s likely that while the pilot conducted his preflight, he inadvertently positioned the fuel selector to the left wing tip tank position.

## Factual narrative

On June 4, 2022, about 1430 Pacific daylight time, a Piper PA-32-300, N561PK, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Snohomish, Washington. The pilot and passenger were not injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. The pilot reported that before he departed Paine Field (PAE), Everett, Washington, he did not refuel the airplane, and during his preflight inspection he strained all the fuel tanks and performed an engine runup with no issues. He then departed for a flight to Harvey Field (S43), Snohomish, Washington. He was airborne for about 10 minutes and landed on runway 15L. After landing, he exited the runway and, during his post-landing checklist, the engine “hiccuped” like it was it was losing power and then “revved up.” The pilot turned the fuel pump off and back on and the engine seemed to have “cleared up.” The pilot stated that before takeoff from S43, he performed an uneventful engine runup and elected to conduct a short-field takeoff from runway 17. As the airplane ascended through about 700 ft mean sea level, the engine began to surge, followed by a total loss of engine power. The pilot attempted to land on a nearby road; however, he realized he was unable to reach it and instead landed in an open field. During the landing roll, the airplane struck a dirt berm and became airborne briefly before it touched back down. The pilot stated that once the nose wheel landing gear settled onto the soft dirt it immediately collapsed, and the airplane came to rest nose low. The pilot further reported that before his flight from PAE, the owner of the airplane sent him a text message telling him that the fuel selector valve was on the left tip tank. The pilot said he didn’t think it was an issue; however, he could not remember if he put the selector valve on the left main fuel tank or not. He added that he could see himself switching the fuel tank position by hand, and then putting it back where it was without visually verifying the position. The owner of the airplane reported that he had about 2 or 3 gallons of fuel in the left wing tip tank before he added 4 gallons of fuel, before a performing a “mini run up” and taxiing back to his hangar at PAE. The owner estimated that the left tip tank had about 4 gallons of fuel in it. Postaccident examination of airframe revealed that all four fuel tanks were intact and undamaged. The left wing tip tank was void of any fuel, while the left main tank, right main tank, and right wing tip tank contained a significant amount of fuel. No visible damage to the airframe was observed except for the nose wheel landing gear, which was compressed aft into the firewall. Additionally, the engine mount where the nose gear attached was buckled. Examination of the airframe and engine revealed no evidence of mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N561PK](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N561PK), registered now, S/N 32-7340124, built 1973 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA-32-300
- Registry model: [Piper PA-32-300](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-32-300) (registry code 7103212) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Lycoming IO-540-K1A5](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-io-540-k1a5) (registry code 41663, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 32-7340124
- Year built: 1973
- Engines: LYCOMING IO-540-K1A5 300 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Personal, Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Destination: PAE, Everett, WA
- Airport: S43, Harvey Fld, runway 15, 2,672 × 36 ft, asphalt
- Equipment: Unknown

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 56; injuries: none; private; airplane ratings: single-engine sea; medical: class 3, with waivers/limitations; seat: left

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 240° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Temperature: 64 °F, dew point 48 °F
- Altimeter: 29.72 inHg
- Observed at: KPAE, 7 nm away
- METAR: KPAE 042053Z 24010KT 10SM FEW120 18/09 A2972 RMK AO2 SLP062 T01830089 58013

## 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 20220604017469A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20220604017469A), Jun 4, 2022: Piper PA-32-300, Snohomish, WA, Substantial damage. After landing at Harvey Field Airport, WA (S43) and taxiing off the active runway, the PIC stated the engine started to lose power then surged. After the PIC…

## Docket (4 files)

The files NTSB released with the investigation on February 28, 2024, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=105221. 1.7 MB in all.

- Record of conversation - pilot (item 1, PDF, 2 pages, 92 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=16725263&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=ROC%20Pilot-Rel.pdf
- Record of conversation - owner of the airplane (item 2, PDF, 1 page, 64 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=16726249&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=ROC%20Owner-Rel.pdf
- Airframe and engine examination report (item 3, PDF, 3 pages, 98 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=16667080&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Airframe%20and%20Engine%20Exam-Rel.pdf
- Investigation photographs (item 4, PDF, 3 pages, 2 photos, 1.4 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=16666517&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Photo%20Array-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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