Piper PA-24-250 N7295P

Summary

On 2 January 1999 at about 21:01 local time, a Piper PA-24-250 registered N7295P, operated by Joseph J. Friend, was involved in an accident near Colbert, Georgia, 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.

Date

2 January 1999 at 21:01

Classification

Accident

Location

Colbert, Georgia, United States

Nearest airport

Athens/Ben Epps Airport (AHN)

Coordinates

34.0305, -83.2094

Aircraft

Piper PA-24-250

Registration

N7295P

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Joseph J. Friend

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Allaire → Lawrenceville

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

IMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ATL99LA037

Nobody was injured.

Inadequate planning/decision by the pilot, which resulted in fuel exhaustion due to an inadequate supply of fuel.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The preflight inspection of the fuel tanks by the pilot revealed the tanks were filled to the bottom of the filler neck, which the pilot believed was appropriately full. After starting the engine, fuel began leaking from the fuel sump drain hose. The pilot operated the spring loaded valve handle inside the airplane which apparently stopped the leak. Shortly after departing, the engine began running rough upon which the pilot began a deviation to another airport. During this time, the engine began running smoothly whereupon the pilot continued to his initial destination. During descent, the engine began running rough and the pilot decided the tanks had been exhausted. The pilot performed a forced landing causing substantial damage. The airplane cruising endurance based on 75% power and 90 gallons of fuel on board is 5.4 hours. However, the usable fuel capacity on this airplane when the fuel tanks are filled to the bottom of the filler necks is approximately 80 gallons. The actual flight time of this aircraft was 5.55 hours. A Federal Aviation Administration inspector who examined the airplane noted only residual fuel was found in the selector valve and no leaks were found in the fuel system.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.