Piper PA-20 N7049K
21 October 1997 · Naknek, Alaska, United States · No injuries
Summary
On 21 October 1997 at about 02:00 local time, a Piper PA-20 registered N7049K was involved in an accident near Naknek, Alaska, United States. One person was 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.
The record
- Date
- at 02:00
- Classification
- Accident
- Location
- Naknek, Alaska, United States
- Coordinates
- 58.8000, -156.9002
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-20
- Registration
- N7049K
- 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
- ANC98LA005
People
Nobody was injured.
| On board | Died | Serious | Minor | Uninjured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
Probable cause
The loss of engine power due to the pilot's failure to refuel the airplane prior to fuel exhaustion. A factor associated with the accident was the lack of 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
The pilot departed on a local flight in the tailwheel-equipped airplane with 1/4 tank of fuel visible in the left fuel tank sight gauge. The fuel selector was positioned on the left tank. The right tank contained a small amount of fuel. While in cruise flight, the engine suddenly quit, and the pilot switched to the right fuel tank. The engine started, and ran for another 3 minutes, but quit running a second time. The pilot selected an open area of tundra and performed a forced landing. During the landing, the airplane's right main landing gear was broken from the fuselage. The pilot later reported that he departed with 18 gallons of fuel. The pilot said he encountered unexpected head winds, and switched fuel tanks to his reserve tank. The engine ran a few minutes, and then quit. The pilot reported an inspection of the airplane revealed a restriction in the fuel gauge, producing a false reading.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.
Other Piper PA-20 accidents
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 18 Aug 1996 | Piper PA-20 | Mulino, Oregon, United States | James K. Warnock | No injuries | - |
| 19 Sep 1998 | Piper PA-20-180 | Thornton, Colorado, United States | - | Serious injuries | - |
| 26 Apr 1998 | Piper PA-20 | Arlington, Washington, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 1 Jul 1998 | Piper PA-20 | Soldotna, Alaska, United States | - | Minor injuries | - |
| 30 Jun 1996 | Piper PA-20 | Calhoun, Georgia, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 12 Apr 1998 | Piper PA-20 | Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania, United States | - | Fatal | 2 |
Other accidents in this area
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 23 Oct 1997 | Piper PA-32-300 | Juneau, Alaska, United States | - | Fatal | 2 |
| 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 | - |
| 26 Oct 1997 | Piper PA-12 | Anchorage, Alaska, United States | - | No injuries | - |