Piper PA-24-250 N543AS

Summary

On 8 December 2021 at about 22:00 local time, a Piper PA-24-250 registered N543AS, operated by High Country Tree Gallery Inc., was involved in an accident near Delta, Colorado, United States. 2 people were 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

8 December 2021 at 22:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Delta, Colorado, United States

Nearest airport

Blake Field (KAJZ)

Coordinates

38.7856, -108.0620

Aircraft

Piper PA-24-250

Registration

N543AS

Category

Airplane

Year built

1962

Engines

1

Operator

High Country Tree Gallery Inc.

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Delta → Delta

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CEN22LA065

Nobody was injured.

Fuel starvation resulting in a loss of engine power.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot reported that during a flight to demonstrate the airplane to a prospective buyer and during the climb after completing a touch and go about 200 feet agl, the engine lost power. The pilot changed the selected fuel tank and activated the fuel boost pump; however, engine power was not restored. The pilot executed a forced landing to an open field. The fuselage sustained substantial damage. The pilot reported he had visually checked the fuel level in each tank before the flight. The right main fuel tank was selected for the entire flight, and it was observed to be empty after the accident. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation and that the power loss was likely due to fuel mismanagement.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.