Piper PA-38-112 N2460C

Summary

On 10 March 1992 at about 19:05 local time, a Piper PA-38-112 registered N2460C, operated by Glenn W. McCluen, was involved in an accident near Falmouth, Kentucky, United States. 2 people were on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

10 March 1992 at 19:05

Classification

Accident

Location

Falmouth, Kentucky, United States

Nearest airport

Gene Snyder (KYG2)

Coordinates

38.6702, -84.3291

Aircraft

Piper PA-38-112

Registration

N2460C

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Glenn W. McCluen

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Knoxville → Batavia

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

NYC92LA054

Nobody was injured.

THE FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO ADEQUATELY MONITOR HIS FUEL CONSUMPTION WHICH RESULTED IN A POWER LOSS FROM FUEL EXHAUSTION OVER UNSUITABLE TERRAIN. A FACTOR RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO ADEQUATELY DETERMINE THE AMOUNT OF FUEL ONBOARD PRIOR TO DEPARTURE.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE PILOT EXPERIENCED A POWER LOSS FROM FUEL EXHAUSTION OVER UNSUITABLE TERRAIN. WHEN INTERVIEWED BY TELEPHONE, THE PILOT SAID HE DEPARTED WITH ONE TANK FULL AND THE OTHER AT 3/4. IN HIS WRITTEN REPORT HE SAID HE WAS CRUISING AT 75 PERCENT POWER WITH THE 'INTENT TO FLY THE ENGINE HARD TO HELP IT BREAK IN PROPERLY.' HE SAID HE LEANED THE ENGINE UNTIL IT WAS ROUGH AND THEN ENRICHED THE MIXTURE UNTIL IT WAS SMOOTH. THE AIRPLANE HAS 30 GALLONS USABLE FUEL AND WAS AIRBORNE FOR 3.2 HOURS. ACCORDING TO THE MANUFACTURER, THE FUEL CONSUMPTION FOR BEST ECONOMY IS 5.6 GPH, AND FOR BEST POWER IS 6.5 GPH. POST ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION FOUND NO EVDIENCE OF FUEL LEAKAGE OR EXCESSIVE FUEL CONSUMPTION.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.