Summary
On November 22, 2003, a Piper PA-28R (N5041T) was involved in an incident near Columbia, SC. All 1 person aboard were uninjured. The aircraft sustained substantial damage.
The National Transportation Safety Board determined the probable cause of this incident to be: The pilot's mismanagement of the fuel supply, and his inadequate preflight planning which resulted in fuel exhaustion.
On November 22, 2003, at 1700 eastern standard time, a Piper PA-28R, N5041T, registered to and operated by a private pilot collided with the ground in a residential area near Columbia, South Carolina. The personal flight operated under the provisions of Title 14 CFR 91 with no flight plan filed. Visual weather conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The airplane sustained substantial damage, and the pilot was not injured. The flight departed Westover Air Force Base, in Springfield, Massachusetts, at 1210 on, November 22, 2003.
According to the pilot, he departed Springfield en route to Aiken, South Carolina. After the departure, the pilot flew nonstop to Columbia, South Carolina.
This incident is documented in NTSB report ATL04LA039. AviatorDB cross-references NTSB investigation data with FAA registry records to provide comprehensive safety information for aircraft N5041T.
Accident Details
Probable Cause and Findings
The pilot's mismanagement of the fuel supply, and his inadequate preflight planning which resulted in fuel exhaustion.
Aircraft Information
Registered Owner (Historical)
Analysis
On November 22, 2003, at 1700 eastern standard time, a Piper PA-28R, N5041T, registered to and operated by a private pilot collided with the ground in a residential area near Columbia, South Carolina. The personal flight operated under the provisions of Title 14 CFR 91 with no flight plan filed. Visual weather conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The airplane sustained substantial damage, and the pilot was not injured. The flight departed Westover Air Force Base, in Springfield, Massachusetts, at 1210 on, November 22, 2003.
According to the pilot, he departed Springfield en route to Aiken, South Carolina. After the departure, the pilot flew nonstop to Columbia, South Carolina. When the pilot established radio contact with Columbia Approach Control, the pilot requested radar vectors to the nearest airport for fuel. According to the pilot, after flying 5.2 hours, he believed there were still about 10 gallons of fuel on board the airplane. As the pilot maneuvered for an approach to Columbia -Owen Downtown Airport, the engine lost power and quit. The pilot maneuvered for an emergency landing and the airplane collided with the ground in a residential area 1/2 mile southeast of the airport.
The post-accident examination of the accident site revealed that the airplane rested in the backyard of a single family adjacent to a storage shed. The airplane was resting on its right side with the left wing perpendicular to the ground. A small quantity of fuel drained from the left wing root area. During the visual examination of the fuel tanks, no fuel was recovered from either tank. According to the pilot operating handbook, approximately two gallons of the 50 gallon fuel capacity are not usable, According to the pilot, the flight departed with 50 gallons of 100 low lead aviation fuel.
The pilot did not report a mechanical problem with the airplane prior to the accident.
Data Source
Data provided by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). For more information on this event, visit the NTSB Records Search website. NTSB# ATL04LA039