Piper PA-28 N4130W

Summary

On 18 May 2009 at about 21:15 local time, a Piper PA-28 registered N4130W was involved in an accident near Dingman, Pennsylvania, 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

18 May 2009 at 21:15

Classification

Accident

Location

Dingman, Pennsylvania, United States

Coordinates

41.3083, -74.9411

Aircraft

Piper PA-28

Registration

N4130W

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Hancock → Somerville

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ERA09LA296

Nobody was injured.

A total loss of engine power in flight due to fuel exhaustion as a result of the pilot's inadequate fuel planning.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot was flying back to his home airport when the "engine sounded like it was out of fuel," and the "propeller just stopped." The pilot then began performing the emergency checklist, switching fuel tanks, and looking for a place to land. The only suitable forced landing area was beyond glide range, and the airplane impacted trees just short of the pilot’s intended touchdown point. The airplane came to rest upright in the tops of the trees, substantially damaging the wing spar. The pilot reported that "there was no abnormal sound" from the engine prior to stopping. After the airplane was recovered from the tree tops, approximately 6 ounces of fuel was drained from the engine, and the Federal Aviation Administration inspector on scene found both fuel tanks empty. No other anomalies with either the engine or airframe were identified.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.