Plane Crash List

Piper PA-28-180 N15609

12 November 1992 · Mankato, Minnesota, United States · Minor injuries

Summary

On 12 November 1992 at about 00:25 local time, a Piper PA-28-180 registered N15609, operated by Northstar Aviation, was involved in an accident near Mankato, Minnesota, United States. 2 people were on board and one had minor injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

The record

Date
at 00:25
Classification
Accident
Location
Mankato, Minnesota, United States
Coordinates
44.1593, -93.9897
Aircraft
Piper PA-28-180
Registration
N15609
Category
Airplane
Engines
1
Operator
Northstar Aviation
Operating rule
Part 91: General Aviation
Purpose of flight
Personal
Phase of flight
Not recorded
Route
Moberly → Unknown
Aircraft damage
Substantial
Weather
VMC
Light
Night/Dark
NTSB number
CHI93LA030

People

1 person had minor injuries.

On board Died Serious Minor Uninjured
2 0 0 1 1

Probable cause

THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO SELECT A PROPER FUEL SELECTOR POSITION.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE PILOT STATED THAT WHILE IN AN EXTENDED TRAFFIC PATTERN TO LAND AT THE CONCLUSION OF A CROSS COUNTRY FLIGHT, THE ENGINE COUGHED AND BEGAN WINDMILLING. A FORCED LANDING WAS MADE DURING WHICH THE AIRPLANE CONTACTED POWER LINES. POST ACCIDENT INSPECTION REVEALED THE FUEL SELECTOR WAS FOUND POSITIONED ON THE LEFT TANK WHICH CONTAINED 12 GALLONS OF FUEL. THE RIGHT TANK WAS SEVERED BY THE POWER LINES AND FOUND EMPTY. A DEPUTY WHO ARRIVED AT THE SCENE JUST AFTER THE ACCIDENT STATED IT DID NOT APPEAR AS THOUGH ANY FUEL HAD DRAINED FROM THE RIGHT TANK. THE PILOT STATED HE TOOK OFF ON THE LEFT TANK, SWITCHED TO THE RIGHT AFTER APRX 1 HOUR, THEN SWITCHED BACK TO THE LEFT APRX 8 MILES FROM LANDING. THE PASSENGER SITTING IN THE LEFT FRONT SEAT, NEXT TO THE SELECTOR, STATED THE PILOT ONLY SWITCHED TANKS ONCE DURING THE FLIGHT. THE LOCATION OF BLOOD SPLATTERS AND A PUNCTURE MARK ON THE FUEL SELECTOR SUGGEST THE SELECTOR WAS POSITIONED ON THE RIGHT TANK WHEN THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.

Other Piper PA-28 accidents

Date Aircraft Location Operator Outcome Died
10 Feb 1992 Piper PA-28-161
N20974
New Smyrna Bch, Florida, United States
no coordinates
ACS, Inc. No injuries -
22 Jan 1992 Piper PA-28-140
N107EH
Denton, Texas, United States Thomas A. Tweeddale No injuries -
26 Feb 1992 Piper PA-28-140
N595SP
Woodland, California, United States MR. Aircraft, Inc. No injuries -
21 Nov 1992 Piper PA-28-140
N1892J
Brookfield, Wisconsin, United States Brookfield Pilot Service, Inc. Fatal 2
6 Dec 1992 Piper PA-28-181
N81453
Missing Acft, California, United States
no coordinates
West Valley Flying Club Fatal 4
29 Mar 1992 Piper PA-28-161
N82757
Kenai, Alaska, United States Tapp, Michael A. No injuries -

All 9,402 records for this type

Other accidents in this area

Date Aircraft Location Operator Outcome Died
7 Nov 1992 Cessna 152
N24975
St. Cloud, Minnesota, United States St. Cloud State University No injuries -
17 Nov 1992 Cessna 172
N7463A
Elk River, Minnesota, United States Wallace D. Pederson Fatal 1
11 Jan 1992 Cessna 182
N9845H
Lake Elmo, Minnesota, United States STC Aviation, Inc No injuries -
13 Jan 1992 Piper PA-23-150
N255W
Grand Rapids, Minnesota, United States Weske, Douglas P No injuries -
24 Dec 1992 Beechcraft V35A
N8468N
Marshall, Minnesota, United States Midwest Aviation DIV. of SW AV No injuries -
25 Jan 1992 Robinson R-22B
N4046H
Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States Wilkes, Clyde H. No injuries -

All 170,864 records in United States