Piper PA-28-140 N5538F

Summary

On 10 September 2012 at about 23:10 local time, a Piper PA-28-140 registered N5538F, operated by JF Aircraft LLC, was involved in an accident near Boonville, Indiana, 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

10 September 2012 at 23:10

Classification

Accident

Location

Boonville, Indiana, United States

Nearest airport

Boonville Airport (I91)

Coordinates

38.0425, -87.3178

Aircraft

Piper PA-28-140

Registration

N5538F

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

JF Aircraft LLC

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Instructional

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Boonville → Boonville

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CEN12LA651

Nobody was injured.

A total loss of engine power during initial climb due to fuel starvation for reasons that could not be determined because postaccident examination could not verify whether the fuel selector was properly positioned before takeoff.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The student pilot reported that he performed a preflight inspection and added 10 gallons of fuel to each tank before the solo flight. After takeoff, the airplane's engine lost power during initial climb. He then executed a forced landing in a field. Postaccident examination of the airplane, including the fuel system and engine, found fuel in both tanks but an absence of fuel in the fuel lines from the gascolator to the mechanical fuel pump. The fuel selector was found in the off position, but the student pilot's flight instructor reported that he had turned the fuel selector to the off position after arriving at the accident site. The instructor stated that he could not be sure, but the fuel selector may not have been fully engaged in the detent before he moved it to the off position. Although it is possible that the student pilot did not have the fuel selector properly positioned, the preimpact position of the valve could not be determined. The student pilot reported no preimpact malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.