Fuel exhaustion Accident Piper PA-28-151 Cherokee Warrior N43003,
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ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 144933
 
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Date:Tuesday 10 April 2012
Time:16:25
Type:Silhouette image of generic P28A model; specific model in this crash may look slightly different    
Piper PA-28-151 Cherokee Warrior
Owner/operator:Siherb Aviation Corp
Registration: N43003
MSN: 28-7415407
Year of manufacture:1974
Engine model:Lycoming O-320
Fatalities:Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 2
Aircraft damage: Substantial
Category:Accident
Location:Off highway 25, halfway between Iuka and Tishomingo, MS -   United States of America
Phase: En route
Nature:Executive
Departure airport:Hammond, LA (HDC)
Destination airport:Franklin, IN (3FK)
Investigating agency: NTSB
Confidence Rating: Accident investigation report completed and information captured
Narrative:
On the day before the accident, the pilot and passenger flew the airplane 575 miles from their home airport to conduct business. The pilot reported that during that flight he observed a discrepancy with the airplane's fuel quantity indicating gauges but that the gauges seemed to work correctly when he "pushed" on the edge of the instrument panel. After landing, the pilot requested that the airplane be refueled, but when he returned the next day to prepare for the return flight, the fuel tanks had not been filled. The pilot visually observed the fuel quantity in both fuel tanks and estimated that there was sufficient fuel for about 3.5 hours of flying, so he decided to take off and stop for fuel during the return flight. About 2.5 hours and 300 miles into the flight, the plot began searching for an airport where he could land and refuel the airplane. Shortly thereafter, the airplane's engine began losing power, so the pilot switched fuel tanks and diverted to nearest airport, which was about 14 miles away. About 4 miles from the airport, the engine lost all power, and the pilot performed a forced landing in a field. The airplane struck several trees during the landing roll, shearing the wings from the fuselage. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures of the airplane, with the exception of the accuracy of the airplane's fuel gauges. Examination of the wreckage at the accident scene revealed no evidence of any fuel, fuel spillage, fuel leakage, or odor of fuel.
Probable Cause: The pilot's improper preflight planning and inflight fuel management, which resulted in a total loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion.

Accident investigation:
cover
  
Investigating agency: NTSB
Report number: ERA12CA276
Status: Investigation completed
Duration: 6 months
Download report: Final report

Sources:

NTSB

Location

Revision history:

Date/timeContributorUpdates
11-Apr-2012 05:07 gerard57 Added
11-Apr-2012 05:57 RobertMB Updated [Time, Aircraft type, Registration, Operator, Location, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative]
11-Apr-2012 06:13 RobertMB Updated [Cn]
11-Apr-2012 08:20 Geno Updated [Location, Narrative]
11-Apr-2012 10:47 Anon. Updated [Location, Narrative]
21-Dec-2016 19:28 ASN Update Bot Updated [Time, Damage, Category, Investigating agency]
27-Nov-2017 20:35 ASN Update Bot Updated [Operator, Other fatalities, Nature, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative]

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