Piper PA-22-108 N5258Z
20 December 1997 · Jacksonville, North Carolina, United States · Serious injuries
Summary
On 20 December 1997 at about 17:23 local time, a Piper PA-22-108 registered N5258Z was involved in an accident near Jacksonville, North Carolina, United States. One person was 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 17:23
- Classification
- Accident
- Location
- Jacksonville, North Carolina, United States
- Nearest airport
- Jacksonville Private (PVT)
- Coordinates
- 34.7609, -77.3995
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-22-108
- Registration
- N5258Z
- Category
- Airplane
- Engines
- 1
- Operator
- Not recorded
- Operating rule
- Part 91: General Aviation
- Purpose of flight
- Personal
- Phase of flight
- Not recorded
- Aircraft damage
- Substantial
- Weather
- VMC
- Light
- Day
- NTSB number
- ATL98LA026
People
1 person was seriously injured.
| On board | Died | Serious | Minor | Uninjured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
Probable cause
the pilot's improper preflight inspection by failing to ensure the fuel selector was properly positioned, which led to fuel starvation, loss of engine power, and a forced landing on rough/uneven terrain. The lack of suitable terrain for a forced landing was a related factor.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.
Read the full NTSB narrative
The pilot stated he filled only the left fuel tank when he refueled the previous night. Before takeoff, he checked the fuel and 'determined' there was approximately 11 gallons in the left tank. He took off from the airport and climbed to about 400 feet where the engine began to sputter. The pilot stated he then looked for a suitable landing field, and made a forced landing. During the forced landing, the airplane encountered rough terrain and was damaged. According to an FAA inspector, who interviewed the pilot, the pilot stated that he believed the right fuel tank had been selected. The pilot believed he switched to the left fuel tank prior to the engine failure, but he could not be certain. According to the Pilot's Operating Handbook and the pilot, takeoffs must be made with the fuel selector in the left position.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.
Other Piper PA-22 accidents
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 Oct 1997 | Piper PA-22-160 | Sterling, Alaska, United States | - | Fatal | 1 |
| 16 Oct 1997 | Piper PA-22-150 | Challis, Idaho, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 28 Sep 1997 | Piper PA-22-160 | Belleview, Florida, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 22 Nov 1997 | Piper PA-22-150 | Newberg, Oregon, United States | - | Serious injuries | - |
| 26 Apr 1997 | Piper PA-22-150 | Holland, Michigan, United States | - | Fatal | 2 |
| 17 Aug 1997 | Piper PA-22-20 | Villa Rica, Georgia, United States | - | No injuries | - |
All 3,095 records for this type
Other accidents in this area
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Jul 1997 | Piper PA-38-112 | Smithfield, North Carolina, United States | Raleigh Flying Service | No injuries | - |
| 19 Apr 1997 | Cessna 150G | Raleigh, North Carolina, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 19 Apr 1997 | Stinson 108-1 | Smithfield, North Carolina, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 24 Apr 1997 | Boeing B75N1 | Huntersville, North Carolina, United States | Larry E. Morris | No injuries | - |
| 7 May 1997 | Piper PA-28-180 | Wilgrove, North Carolina, United States | - | Serious injuries | - |
| 28 Aug 1997 | Gulfstream-Schweizer G-164C | Beaufort, North Carolina, United States | - | No injuries | - |