Piper PA28 N9673W

Summary

On 27 January 2018 at about 21:15 local time, a Piper PA28 registered N9673W was involved in an accident near Meriden, Connecticut, 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

27 January 2018 at 21:15

Classification

Accident

Location

Meriden, Connecticut, United States

Nearest airport

Meriden Markham Muni (MMK)

Coordinates

41.5200, -72.8200

Aircraft

Piper PA28

Registration

N9673W

Category

Airplane

Year built

1967

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Oxford → Meriden

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ERA18LA071

2 people were seriously injured.

The pilot's inadequate preflight fuel planning and his improper in-flight decision-making, which resulted in a total loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The airline transport pilot reported that he performed a preflight inspection before the cross-country flight and determined that 36 gallons of fuel were on board. His preflight fuel planning showed that he would land at his destination with 6 gallons of fuel remaining. While en route, he intentionally exhausted the fuel in the right tank. He switched to the left tank and continued the flight. His passenger later suggested that they stop for fuel, but he was confident in his fuel calculations and did not want to pay a higher price for fuel, so he continued the flight. About 2.5 miles north of his destination, the engine lost total power. He chose to perform a forced landing in a nearby pond. During the forced landing attempt, the airplane landed short of the pond and collided with a fence, which resulted in substantial damage to both wings and the airframe. Examination of the wreckage revealed that only a residual amount of fuel remained in each wing tank. The tanks were not compromised, and no evidence of fuel leaks or stains was noted on the airframe. Although the pilot noted a previous issue with the gascolator, postaccident examination of the gascolator revealed that it was in an airworthy condition with no evidence of obstructions, leaks, or stains. It is likely that the pilot did not perform adequate preflight fuel planning, and his decision not to stop for fuel led to fuel exhaustion and the total loss of engine power.    

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.