Accident Details
Probable Cause and Findings
the pilot's inadequate preflight planning/preparation and improper emergency procedure. Factors associated with the accident are the pilot's improper positioning of the fuel tank selector, and the rough, uneven terrain.
Aircraft Information
Registered Owner (Current)
Analysis
On August 9, 1994, about 1720 central daylight time, a Piper PA- 28-140 airplane, N3634R, sustained substantial damage following a loss of engine power and subsequent off airport landing in a corn field near Romeoville, Illinois. The commercial pilot and sole passenger aboard reported no injuries. The local, 14 CFR Part 91 flight operated without flight plan in visual meteorological conditions.
The pilot reported the engine lost power while he was flying in the traffic pattern in preparation for landing. He said the engine lost power because he had inadvertently selected a nearly empty fuel tank prior to takeoff, and that he had exhausted all the usable fuel in the selected tank. The pilot said he did not switch to the other, nearly full fuel tank, and thus was forced to land in a corn field short of runway 09.
Data Source
Data provided by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). For more information on this event, visit the NTSB Records Search website. NTSB# CHI94LA273