Piper PA28 N5242W

Summary

On 28 November 2020 at about 18:37 local time, a Piper PA28 registered N5242W was involved in an accident near French Lick, Indiana, United States. One person was on board and one 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

28 November 2020 at 18:37

Classification

Accident

Location

French Lick, Indiana, United States

Nearest airport

French Lick Municipal Airport (FRH)

Coordinates

38.5043, -86.6526

Aircraft

Piper PA28

Registration

N5242W

Category

Airplane

Year built

1962

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

French Lick → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CEN21LA068

1 person had minor injuries.

The pilot’s improper in-flight decision making which resulted in a total loss of engine power due to fuel starvation.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot reported he’d departed from his home airport on a personal flight with 8 to 9 gallons of fuel in the left tank and 6 to 7 gallons of fuel in the right tank. He planned to use the left fuel tank for most of the flight, then switch to the right tank upon returning to the airport for touch-and-go-landings. The pilot reported that he did not switch to the right tank and during the third touch-and-go landing the engine lost all power. The pilot applied carburetor heat but did not remember to switch fuel tanks. The pilot made a forced landing into a wooded area near the airport and impacted trees and terrain, during which the right wing separated from the fuselage. The left wing, aft fuselage, and empennage sustained substantial damage.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.