Piper PA28R N9312N

Summary

On 10 October 2015 at about 00:56 local time, a Piper PA28R registered N9312N was involved in an accident near Savannah, Georgia, United States. 2 people were on board and 2 were seriously injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

10 October 2015 at 00:56

Classification

Accident

Location

Savannah, Georgia, United States

Nearest airport

Savannah/Hilton Head Intl (SAV)

Coordinates

32.1289, -81.2350

Aircraft

Piper PA28R

Registration

N9312N

Category

Airplane

Year built

1969

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Jacksonville → Savannah

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Night

NTSB number

ERA16LA007

2 people were seriously injured.

The pilot's inadequate preflight fuel planning and in-flight fuel management, which resulted in fuel exhaustion and a total loss of engine power during approach. Contributing to the accident were the pilot’s failure to maintain adequate airspeed and his exceedance of the airplane’s critical angle-of-attack, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

According to flight service station records, the private pilot had planned a cross-country flight that was expected to be about 465 miles long and to take about 3 hours 15 minutes. The first two-thirds of the flight were uneventful, but the pilot diverted to an alternate airport because the passenger needed a rest stop. He did not purchase fuel at the diversion airport and resumed the flight. According to air traffic control records, while on final approach to the destination airport, an air traffic controller noted that the airplane was low after turning onto the final leg of the traffic pattern and advised the pilot to check his altitude; the pilot did not respond. The airplane then departed controlled flight and crashed. Neither the pilot nor the passenger could recall any events leading up to the accident. Examination of the wreckage found damage characteristics to the propeller and engine that were indicative of a loss of engine power; however, no preimpact mechanical malfunctions were found. Both fuel tanks were found compromised, but no evidence of fuel was found at the accident site. At the time of the power loss, the airplane had flown a total of about 3 hours 30 minutes. Airplane performance data revealed that the engine consumed about 10 gallons per hour, not including fuel used during taxi, takeoff, and climb. Given that the airplane did not have any fuel on board, it likely was not filled to its total capacity of 50 gallons at departure. Further, the unplanned landing increased the amount of fuel the airplane would have burned, and the pilot likely did not account for this while managing the fuel in flight. Given the evidence, it is likely that the loss of engine power resulted from fuel exhaustion. Further, once the engine lost power, the pilot did not maintain adequate airspeed and exceeded the airplane's critical angle-of-attack on approach to the airport, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.