Piper PA-24-250 N7910P

Summary

On 13 August 2023 at about 17:50 local time, a Piper PA-24-250 registered N7910P was involved in an accident near Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, United States. One person was on board and one was seriously injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

13 August 2023 at 17:50

Classification

Accident

Location

Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, United States

Nearest airport

Wiley Post Airport (PWA)

Coordinates

35.5275, -97.5136

Aircraft

Piper PA-24-250

Registration

N7910P

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

Sherman → Oklahoma City

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CEN23FA360

1 person was seriously injured.

The pilot’s mismanagement of fuel, which resulted in fuel starvation and a subsequent total 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 was in cruise flight nearing the destination airport when the engine sustained a total loss of engine power. During the forced landing, the airplane impacted power lines and a grassy slope on the left side of a highway. The left main fuel cell and left auxiliary fuel cell on the left wing were breached and could not be functionally tested. The right main fuel cell did not contain any fuel and the right auxiliary fuel cell was full of fuel. The fuel selector valve was set to the right main fuel cell. Postaccident examination of the airframe and engine did not detect any anomalies that would have precluded normal operation. After the accident, the pilot shared with a friend that he received a low fuel warning light while operating on the right main fuel cell. The pilot switched to the left main fuel cell; however, engine power did not return so he switched back to the right main fuel cell. Investigators were unable to ascertain what additional steps the pilot may have taken to restore engine power after initially switching to the left main fuel cell. The loss of engine power was likely due to fuel starvation as there was adequate fuel remaining in the right auxiliary fuel cell.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.