Accident Piper PA-24-260 Comanche N856CC,
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ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 157391
 
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Date:Friday 28 June 2013
Time:14:55
Type:Silhouette image of generic PA24 model; specific model in this crash may look slightly different    
Piper PA-24-260 Comanche
Owner/operator:Private
Registration: N856CC
MSN: 24-4020
Year of manufacture:1964
Engine model:Lycoming TIO-540 SER
Fatalities:Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 2
Aircraft damage: Substantial
Category:Accident
Location:Eagle County Regional Airport (KEGE), Eagle, CO -   United States of America
Phase: Landing
Nature:Private
Departure airport:Carlsbad, CA (CRQ)
Destination airport:Eagle, CO (EGE)
Investigating agency: NTSB
Confidence Rating: Accident investigation report completed and information captured
Narrative:
During the flight, the airplane's engine experienced a loss of power, and the copilot took control of the airplane from the pilot, who had been flying, and directed the pilot to attempt to restart the engine. The airplane descended and impacted terrain short of the runway. The fuel tank selector was found in the left main tank position, but no visible fuel was found in the left main tank. After battery power was applied to the airplane, the engine data monitoring system indicated that the left main tank had 11 gallons of fuel and the right main tank had 8 gallons of fuel. After the fuel floats were moved, the monitoring system indicated that the left main tank had 2 gallons of fuel and that the right main tank had 9.5 gallons of fuel. Regardless of the fuel quantity indications, the pilots should have known how much fuel was in each tank and, based on fuel calculations, known when each tank was going to become empty. Further, the pilot should have switched fuel tanks as part of the engine restart procedures; however, he did not report doing so. Each of the four fuel tank senders were examined and wear and corrosion were found on all of them. When tested with a voltmeter, none of the fuel floats provided consistent electrical signals, which would alter the amount of fuel indicated on the engine monitoring system. Because the selector was positioned to the left main tank, the engine lost power due to fuel starvation.
Probable Cause: The pilots’ improper fuel management, which resulted in the loss of engine power due to fuel starvation. Contributing to the accident was worn and corroded fuel senders, which transmitted inaccurate fuel readings to the fuel monitoring system.

Accident investigation:
cover
  
Investigating agency: NTSB
Report number: CEN13LA362
Status: Investigation completed
Duration:
Download report: Final report

Sources:

NTSB

Location

Revision history:

Date/timeContributorUpdates
01-Jul-2013 23:23 Geno Added
21-Dec-2016 19:28 ASN Update Bot Updated [Time, Damage, Category, Investigating agency]
29-Nov-2017 08:46 ASN Update Bot Updated [Other fatalities, Nature, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative]

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