Piper PA32 N722RM

Summary

On 1 January 2024 at about 19:20 local time, a Piper PA32 registered N722RM was involved in an accident near Gordonville, Pennsylvania, 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

1 January 2024 at 19:20

Classification

Accident

Location

Gordonville, Pennsylvania, United States

Nearest airport

Smoketown Airport (S37)

Coordinates

40.0248, -76.1286

Aircraft

Piper PA32

Registration

N722RM

Category

Airplane

Year built

1974

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Tangier → Smoketown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ERA24LA081

Nobody was injured.

The pilot’s improper fuel management resulting in fuel starvation, a total loss of engine power, and subsequent off-airport forced landing.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

After departing on the accident flight, the pilot moved the fuel selector from the left main fuel tank to the right wingtip fuel tank, and later the left wingtip fuel tank. With an estimated 20 minutes of flight time remaining, he attempted to select the right main fuel tank, but inadvertently selected the left main fuel tank. About 10 minutes later, began losing power. Despite the pilot’s efforts to troubleshoot the issue by activating the fuel pump and articulating the throttle, the engine lost power completely. The pilot then selected the right main fuel tank but was unable to restart the engine. He subsequently performed a forced landing to a field, during which the airplane struck wires and fence posts, substantially damaging the left wing, as well as the horizontal and vertical stabilizers. Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed that only 8 ounces of fuel remained in the left main fuel tank. While damage the left wing incurred during the accident compromised the integrity of the tank, there was no evidence of any fuel leakage. About 25 gallons of fuel remained in the right main fuel tank. The airframe fuel strainer contained about 2 ounces of uncontaminated fuel. Examination and operational testing of the fuel selector valve confirmed that the selector valve was functional in all positions and the indicator aligned properly in the detents. Based on this information, the pilot’s inadvertent selection of the left main fuel tank resulted in exhausting its fuel supply, and the subsequent loss of engine power due to fuel starvation.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.