Fuel exhaustion Accident Piper PA-38-112 Tomahawk N9302T,
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ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 39553
 
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Date:Thursday 12 September 1991
Time:17:40 LT
Type:Silhouette image of generic PA38 model; specific model in this crash may look slightly different    
Piper PA-38-112 Tomahawk
Owner/operator:Castle Aviation Inc.
Registration: N9302T
MSN: 38-78A0012
Year of manufacture:1978
Total airframe hrs:1950 hours
Engine model:Lycoming O-235-L2C
Fatalities:Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 1
Aircraft damage: Destroyed
Category:Accident
Location:Akron, OH -   United States of America
Phase: En route
Nature:Training
Departure airport:
Destination airport:
Investigating agency: NTSB
Confidence Rating: Accident investigation report completed and information captured
Narrative:
THE PILOT WAS FLYING IN THE AIRPORT TRAFFIC PATTERN DOING TOUCH AND GO LANDINGS FOR ABOUT 1.2 HOURS. SHORTLY AFTER TAKE OFF FROM RUNWAY 07, THE AIRPLANE WAS SEEN BY SEVERAL WITNESSES AT A LOW ALTITUDE. THE WITNESSES SAID THE ENGINE LOST POWER AND THE AIRPLANE MADE A LEFT TURN BACK TOWARDS THE AIRPORT, THEN WENT INTO A NOSE LOW ATTITUDE BEFORE IT IMPACTED THE GROUND. EXAMINATION OF THE WRECKAGE AT THE ACCIDENT SITE REVEALED THAT THERE WAS NO FUEL FOUND IN EITHER FUEL TANK. BOTH FUEL TANKS WERE INTACT. THE PILOT WAS OBSERVED DOING A PREFLIGHT INSPECTION, TO INCLUDE LOOKING IN BOTH FUEL TANKS AND DRAINING FUEL FROM EACH TANK. THE PILOT WAS OFFERED AND DECLINED FUEL SERVICING. RECORDS INDICATED THAT WHEN THE PILOT STARTED HIS FLIGHT, THE AIRPLANE HAD PREVIOUSLY BEEN FLOWN 3.1 HOURS SINCE THE LAST REFUELED.

Probable Cause: THE PILOT LOST CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE AND INADVERTENTLY STALLED AND SPUN THE AIRPLANE AT TOO LOW AN ALTITUDE TO ALLOW RECOVERY. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE; THE PILOT'S IMPROPER PREFLIGHT AND PLANNING, WHICH RESULTED IN FUEL EXHAUSTION, A LOSS OF ENGINE POWER, A FORCED LANDING, AN IMPROPER PROCEDURE BY TURNING BACK TO THE AIRPORT, AND THE PILOT'S LACK OF TOTAL FLIGHT EXPERIENCE.

Accident investigation:
cover
  
Investigating agency: NTSB
Report number: NYC91FA235
Status: Investigation completed
Duration: 1 year and 7 months
Download report: Final report

Sources:

NTSB NYC91FA235

Location

Revision history:

Date/timeContributorUpdates
24-Oct-2008 10:30 ASN archive Added
21-Dec-2016 19:23 ASN Update Bot Updated [Time, Damage, Category, Investigating agency]
11-Apr-2024 12:19 ASN Update Bot Updated [Time, Operator, Other fatalities, Source, Narrative, Category, Accident report]

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