ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 174373
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| Date: | Monday 9 March 2015 |
| Time: | 14:10 |
| Type: |  Piper PA-24-250 Comanche |
| Owner/operator: | Gregory Piehl |
| Registration: | N6514P |
| MSN: | 24-1636 |
| Year of manufacture: | 1959 |
| Total airframe hrs: | 8109 hours |
| Engine model: | Lycoming O-540 SERIES |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 2 |
| Aircraft damage: | Substantial |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | NW of Page Field Airport (KFMY), Fort Myers, FL -
 United States of America
|
| Phase: | Approach |
| Nature: | Private |
| Departure airport: | ST. Petersburg, FL (PIE) |
| Fort Myers, FL (FMY) | |
| Investigating agency: | NTSB |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
The pilot reported that, about 10 miles from the destination airport, he switched the left and right fuel tanks from the auxiliary position to the main tank position. On final approach for landing and when the airplane was at an altitude of about 500 ft, the engine stopped producing power. The propeller continued to rotate, but the engine did not respond to throttle inputs. The pilot stated that he then switched the fuel selectors from the main tank position back to the auxiliary tank position and turned on the electric fuel boost pumps, but the engine did not regain power. He added that, each time he moved the fuel selectors, he visually confirmed their position. The pilot performed a forced landing to a parking lot, during which the airframe aft of the engine compartment was fractured and the fuselage was substantially damaged. There was no odor of fuel or evidence of fuel spillage at the accident scene; however, the fuel caps were removed, and large quantities of fuel were found in each wing tank.
Examination of the cockpit revealed that both the left and right tank fuel selectors were in the “off” position and that the fuel selector position decal had been displaced upward and over each handle by impact forces, which indicates that the fuel selectors were in the “off” position at impact and not moved subsequently. Continuity of the fuel system was confirmed from all four fuel tanks, through the fuel selectors, to the fuel supply line forward of the firewall. The engine was test run, and it started immediately, accelerated smoothly, and ran without interruption at all power settings.
Probable Cause: The pilot's inadvertent placement of both fuel selectors to the "off" position, which resulted in fuel starvation and a total loss of engine power.
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
NTSB
FAA register: http://registry.faa.gov/aircraftinquiry/NNum_Results.aspx?NNumbertxt=6514P
Location
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 09-Mar-2015 17:46 | Geno | Added |
| 23-Mar-2015 17:04 | Geno | Updated [Total fatalities, Nature, Destination airport, Source, Narrative] |
| 08-Apr-2015 17:02 | Geno | Updated [Time, Departure airport, Source, Narrative] |
| 15-Dec-2015 20:27 | Iceman 29 | Updated [Source, Narrative] |
| 21-Dec-2016 19:28 | ASN Update Bot | Updated [Time, Damage, Category, Investigating agency] |
| 01-Dec-2017 12:46 | ASN Update Bot | Updated [Operator, Other fatalities, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative] |
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