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Aviation safety reports, made easier to study

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NTSB Report

September 19, 1991 · Piper PA-24-250 · N7985P

Arco, ID

Overview

Report Status
Probable Cause
Event Type
Accident
Date
September 19, 1991
Injury Outcomes
No injuries (1 uninjured)
Location
Arco, ID
Aircraft
Piper PA-24-250
Tail Number
N7985P
Operator
Robert D Bowman
Injuries
None
Aircraft Damage
Substantial
NTSB Number
SEA91LA247

The aircraft was parked on a slope left wing low and had been exposed to rain prior to the flight. The pilot sumped all 4 fuel tanks and then visually determined that he had sufficient fuel for the 1 hour flight to destination. After departing on the right main tank and briefly using both auxiliary tanks, approximately 30 minutes into the flight he switched to the left main tank and the engine began missing. Believing that he had no fuel in the left tank, he switched to the left auxiliary which he exhausted and back to right main which was also exhausted. After a total of 55 minutes of flight and while approaching his destination, he was unable to maintain power on the right auxiliary and executed a forced landing. During the approach he determined that power lines interfered with his landing and maneuvered to an alternate landing site. This maneuver resulted in the pilot's inability to safely flare due to sink rate and low airspeed and a hard landing followed. A total of 5 gallons of fuel was drained from the left main tank subsequent to the forced landing.

NTSB Probable Cause

WATER IN THE FUEL TANK AND THE INABILITY OF THE PILOT TO FLARE FOR LANDING AFTER MANEUVERING TO AVOID TRANSMISSION LINES IN HIS FLIGHT PATH DURING THE FORCED LANDING.

Full Narrative

THE AIRCRAFT WAS PARKED ON A SLOPE LEFT WING LOW AND HAD BEEN EXPOSED TO RAIN PRIOR TO THE FLT. THE PLT SUMPED ALL 4 FUEL TANKS AND THEN VISUALLY DETERMINED THAT HE HAD SUFFICIENT FUEL FOR THE 1 HOUR FLT TO DESTINATION. AFTER DEPARTING ON THE RIGHT MAIN TANK AND BRIEFLY USING BOTH AUX TANKS AND APPROXIMATELY 30 MINUTES INTO THE FLT HE SWITCHED TO THE LEFT MAIN TANK AND THE ENGINE BEGAN MISSING. BELIEVING THAT HE HAD NO FUEL IN THE LEFT TANK HE SWITCHED TO THE LEFT AUX WHICH HE EXHAUSTED AND BACK TO RIGHT MAIN WHICH WAS ALSO EXHAUSTED. AFTER A TOTAL OF 55 MINUTES OF FLT AND WHILE APPROACHING HIS DESTINATION HE WAS UNABLE TO MAINTAIN POWER ON THE RIGHT AUX AND EXECUTED A FORCED LDG. DURING THE APPROACH HE DETERMINED THAT POWER LINES INTERFERED WITH HIS LANDING AND MANEUVERED TO AN ALTERNATE LDG SITE. THIS MANEUVER RESULTED IN THE PILOT'S INABILITY TO SAFELY FLARE DUE TO SINK RATE AND LOW AIRSPEED AND A HARD LDG FOLLOWED. A TOTAL OF 5 GALLONS OF FUEL WAS DRAINED FROM THE LEFT MAIN TANK SUBSEQUENT TO THE FORCED LDG.

Flight

Event TypeAccident
Event Time12:15 MDT
Nearest Airport0nm N
Runway0
Flight Plan FiledNone
Aircraft FireNo
Aircraft ExplosionNo

Aircraft

AircraftPiper PA-24-250
Tail NumberN7985P
Aircraft CategoryAir
DamageSubstantial
OperatorRobert D Bowman
Operating RulePart 91
Engines1
Engine TypeReciprocating
Engine DetailsLycoming · IO-540-C1B5 · Reciprocating · 250
Seats4

People & Injuries

Injury SummaryNo injuries (1 uninjured)
Fatal0
Serious0
Minor0
Uninjured1
Total1
Crew 1Age 66 · Second Class

Conditions

ConditionsVMC
LightDaylight
WindCalm
Visibility50 sm
CeilingNone
Temperature / Dew Point0 C / 0 C
Altimeter0
Weather SourcePILO

Appendix: Source Data