Piper PA32-260 N820CA

Summary

On 25 May 2003 at about 12:25 local time, a Piper PA32-260 registered N820CA was involved in an accident near Huntington, West Virginia, United States. 2 people were on board and 2 had minor injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

25 May 2003 at 12:25

Classification

Accident

Location

Huntington, West Virginia, United States

Nearest airport

Robert Newlon Field (I41)

Coordinates

38.4283, -82.3117

Aircraft

Piper PA32-260

Registration

N820CA

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Huntington → Portsmouth

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

NYC03LA116

2 people had minor injuries.

The pilot's failure to position the fuel selector to a tank with adequate fuel for the flight, which resulted in a power loss due to fuel starvation and the subsequent forced landing.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot overflew the runway and as he turned downwind, the engine lost power. He switched tanks and turned the boost pump on, but was unable to restore power. He continued on the downwind, and then turned base and final close to the airport. The airplane touched down mid-field on the 2,300 foot long turf runway, at 75 to 80 mph. The pilot was unable to stop the airplane on the runway, and it continued beyond the runway into a gravel pile and scrap metal beyond the departure end of the runway. Examination of the airplane revealed the right wing tank had ruptured with evidence of a fuel spill. Trace amounts of fuel was found in the fuel line leading to the carburetor, and in the carburetor. The left wing tank was intact and contained a little over a gallon. When electrical power was applied, the fuel gage indicated about 1/8, and with the boost pump on, fuel was pumped fuel flowed to the carburetor. No obstructions were found in the fuel lines. The pilot reported that he flew the airplane earlier in the morning. When he preflighted the airplane, both outboard tanks were empty, the right inboard was full, and the left inboard had about 18 gallons. He reported that he flew for about 35 to 40 minutes on the left tank, and then conducted the accident flight on the left tank. He also reported that he did not visually check the fuel tanks prior to departing on the accident flight.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.