N333NA

Substantial
Minor

PIPER PA-28-140S/N: 28-26714

Accident Details

Date
Monday, September 20, 2010
NTSB Number
CEN10CA550
Location
Carthage, TX
Event ID
20100921X33423
Coordinates
32.176109, -94.298614
Aircraft Damage
Substantial
Highest Injury
Minor
Fatalities
0
Serious Injuries
0
Minor Injuries
1
Uninjured
0
Total Aboard
1

Probable Cause and Findings

A total loss of engine power during cruise flight due to fuel exhaustion as a result of the pilot’s improper fuel planning.

Aircraft Information

Registration
N333NA
Make
PIPER
Serial Number
28-26714
Engine Type
Reciprocating
Year Built
1970
Model / ICAO
PA-28-140P28A
Aircraft Type
Fixed Wing Single Engine
No. of Engines
1

Registered Owner (Historical)

Name
SOLOMON THOMAS A
Address
5121 SEASCAPE LN
Status
Deregistered
City
PLANO
State / Zip Code
TX 75093-4009
Country
United States

Analysis

The pilot reported that he departed with about 47 gallons of fuel onboard for a 551-nautical mile cross-country flight. About 3-hours and 15-minutes into the flight, the pilot said he was concerned the way the right fuel tank gauge was moving down faster than he’d seen before. He added that, he told Air Traffic Control (ATC) that he needed to change his destination for fuel. Shortly thereafter, he stated that the left tank was out of fuel, so he switched back to the right fuel tank and looked for a place to conduct an emergency landing. During the approach for a forced landing, the engine changed from idle to full power for 10 to 15 seconds, before a complete loss of engine power. The airplane’s nose dropped sharply and the airplane impacted the roof of an unoccupied barn near vertically. During recovery of the airplane, no fuel was found on site or in the airplane’s fuel tanks.

Data Source

Data provided by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). For more information on this event, visit the NTSB Records Search website. NTSB# CEN10CA550