Piper PA-32-300 N4170R
24 August 1997 · Bethel, Alaska, United States · Serious injuries
Summary
On 24 August 1997 at about 22:32 local time, a Piper PA-32-300 registered N4170R, operated by Kusko Aviation, was involved in an accident near Bethel, Alaska, United States. 2 people were on board and one was seriously injured. 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 22:32
- Classification
- Accident
- Location
- Bethel, Alaska, United States
- Nearest airport
- Bethel (BET)
- Coordinates
- 60.8107, -161.8502
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-32-300
- Registration
- N4170R
- Category
- Airplane
- Engines
- 1
- Operator
- Kusko Aviation
- Operating rule
- Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter
- Purpose of flight
- Unknown
- Phase of flight
- Not recorded
- Route
- Unknown → Quinhagak
- Aircraft damage
- Substantial
- Weather
- VMC
- Light
- Day
- NTSB number
- ANC97LA129
People
1 person was seriously injured.
| On board | Died | Serious | Minor | Uninjured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
Probable cause
the pilot's improper selection of a fuel tank that did not contain fuel, which resulted in subsequent fuel starvation and loss of engine power. A factor relating to the accident was: the inability to reach suitable terrain for a forced landing.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.
Read the full NTSB narrative
Operator personnel reported that shortly after takeoff, the engine began to lose power at an altitude of about 600 feet mean sea level, and that emergency procedures failed to restore engine power. The pilot turned back toward the departure airport, and selected an emergency landing area about 1 mile from the airport. The airplane touched down on soft tundra covered terrain and received damage to the landing gear, fuselage, and wings. An FAA airworthiness inspector examined the airplane at the accident site. The fuel selector was found positioned to the left wing tip fuel tank. The left tip tank did not contain any fuel. No fuel was found in the fuel line from the gascolator to the fuel pump. No fuel was found in the line from the fuel pump to the engine manifold. After recovery, the engine was started, and it developed full power with, and without, the fuel boast pump in the 'ON' position. During the engine run, the left tip tank was selected. The engine continued to run for 1.5 minutes before quitting.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.
Other Piper PA-32 accidents
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 18 Jun 1997 | Piper PA-32-300T | Del Norte, Colorado, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 23 Oct 1997 | Piper PA-32-300 | Juneau, Alaska, United States | - | Fatal | 2 |
| 28 Sep 1997 | Piper PA-32-300 | Stuart Island, Washington, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 25 Mar 1997 | Piper PA-32-260 | Lincoln Park, New Jersey, United States | Walter C Corocco | Minor injuries | - |
| 9 Apr 1997 | Piper PA-32-300 | Vincentown, New Jersey, United States | Carl J. Mikuletzky | No injuries | - |
| 16 Apr 1997 | Piper PA-32-300 | Belmar, New Jersey, United States | - | No injuries | - |
All 1,695 records for this type
Other accidents in this area
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20 Oct 1997 | Cessna 208B | Kasigluk, Alaska, United States | Peninsula Airways Inc. | No injuries | - |
| 3 Oct 1997 | Piper PA-22-160 | Sterling, Alaska, United States | - | Fatal | 1 |
| 12 Oct 1997 | Cessna 182B | Palmer, Alaska, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 15 Oct 1997 | Bell 206-B2 | Sutton, Alaska, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 21 Oct 1997 | Piper PA-20 | Naknek, Alaska, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 26 Oct 1997 | Piper PA-12 | Anchorage, Alaska, United States | - | No injuries | - |