Piper PA-24-250 N6377L

Summary

On 17 December 1997 at about 00:15 local time, a Piper PA-24-250 registered N6377L was involved in an accident near Wichita, Kansas, 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

17 December 1997 at 00:15

Classification

Accident

Location

Wichita, Kansas, United States

Nearest airport

Jabara (3KM)

Coordinates

37.7707, -97.2091

Aircraft

Piper PA-24-250

Registration

N6377L

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

Dusk

NTSB number

CHI98LA064

Nobody was injured.

the pilot-in-command misjudged the fuel supply and selected an empty fuel tank which resulted in fuel exhaustion. A factor associated with the accident was the rough terrain encountered when the airplane touched down short of the runway.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The commercial pilot checked the right wing fuel tanks and reported there was fuel in them. The CFI checked the left tanks and reported the tip tank was full and the main tank was down about 1 1/2 inches. After a half hour local flight, one touch and go, and one go-around the commercial pilot switched from the left main tank to the right main tank while on downwind. The CFI then noticed a zero fuel indication and was switching to another tank when a loss of engine power occurred. The CFI switched back to the left main tank and power was restored as the airplane contacted the terrain short of the runway. Inspection of the airplane revealed the right main fuel tank was empty.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.