Piper PA-28-140 N2838T

Summary

On 23 October 2002 at about 20:00 local time, a Piper PA-28-140 registered N2838T was involved in an accident near Las Palmas, United States. 3 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

23 October 2002 at 20:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Las Palmas, United States

Nearest airport

Patillas (X64)

Coordinates

18.2203, -66.5893

Aircraft

Piper PA-28-140

Registration

N2838T

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Humacao → Las Palmas

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

MIA03LA006

Nobody was injured.

The pilot's failure to switch fuel tanks resulting in a partial loss of engine power due to fuel starvation during a go-around. Additionally, the pilot's failure to monitor airspeed and proper touchdown point during the emergency landing resulted in another go-around attempt with partial power and inadequate airspeed that caused a collision with a field off the end of the runway.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

Following a 30 minute flight from Humacao, Puerto Rico, the pilot's first attempt to land on runway 10 at Patillas Airport, Las Palmas, resulted in a go-around because the approach path was too high. During the go-around, at between 400 and 500 feet agl, the engine lost partial power, and the pilot elected to execute a quick course reversal and land on runway 28. The emergency approach and landing were fast and long, necessitating another go-around with whatever power was available. The pilot managed to over-fly the airport perimeter fence, but collided with the terrain on the other side of the fence, sustaining substantial damage to the aircraft. Postcrash examination of the aircraft revealed the fuel selector was selected to the right fuel tank, which was found empty. The pilot stated he had not switched tanks since takeoff.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.