Piper PA-24-250 N7482P

Summary

On 12 June 2022 at about 01:38 local time, a Piper PA-24-250 registered N7482P was involved in an accident near Auburn, Washington, United States. 2 people were on board and 2 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

12 June 2022 at 01:38

Classification

Accident

Location

Auburn, Washington, United States

Nearest airport

Auburn Muni (S50)

Coordinates

47.3414, -122.2121

Aircraft

Piper PA-24-250

Registration

N7482P

Category

Airplane

Year built

1961

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

WPR22LA213

2 people had minor injuries.

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 that, while approaching the destination airport, he moved the fuel selector from the left main fuel tank to the right main fuel tank. About 5 miles from the airport, he completed the before-landing checklist and reduced the engine power setting to 15 inches of manifold pressure while he slowly advanced the propeller lever forward. Shortly after, the engine lost total power. The pilot immediately verified that the position of the mixture was full rich, and that the fuel boost pump was on. The pilot moved the fuel selector lever from the right main tank to left main tank, but then decided to switch back to the right main tank, as the right tank contained more fuel. The engine briefly started, but again lost all power. The pilot initiated a forced landing to an open field and the airplane impacted a dirt berm during the landing roll, resulting in substantial damage to the right wing. Postaccident examination of the engine and engine systems revealed no evidence of preimpact mechanical failure or malfunction. Examination of the fuel supply and fuel vent systems revealed no evidence of blockage, and the fuel selector functioned normally when tested. At the accident site, the left main fuel tank contained about one gallon of fuel; the right main, right auxiliary, and left auxiliary tanks all appeared full. Additionally, the pilot reported that he examined the fuel tanks immediately after the accident; the right tank was full, and he could not see any fuel in the left main tank. Although the environmental conditions at the time of the accident were favorable for serious carburetor icing at glide power or reduced power settings, the pilot reported that he reduced engine power for landing just before the loss of power occurred; therefore, the airplane had not been operating at reduced power settings for an extended period of time; therefore, it is unlikely that carburetor icing resulted in the interruption of the fuel flow. Although the pilot’s statement indicated that he switched fuel tanks several minutes before the loss of engine power, given the distribution of the fuel in the tanks following the accident and the lack of any mechanical anomalies found during postaccident examination, it is most likely that the pilot exhausted the available fuel in the left main tank, resulting in fuel starvation and a total loss of engine power.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.