Summary
On June 24, 2012, a Piper PA-28-235 (N8788W) was involved in an incident near Richmond, IN. All 4 people 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 failure to ensure that the fuel selector was properly positioned, which resulted in a total loss of engine power due to fuel starvation.
The pilot and three passengers departed the airport in a single-engine airplane. During the climb, when the airplane was about 2,100 feet mean sea level, the engine lost power. The pilot reported that he performed the emergency procedures, but did not think to check the fuel selector. The pilot elected to conduct a force landing in a nearby field. During the landing the airplane’s firewall and left wing sustained substantial damage. The pilot also reported that the fuel selector was on an auxiliary tank that did not contain any fuel. He added that the fuel selector was easy to move inadvertently, and that a passenger’s foot may have moved the selector before takeoff.
This incident is documented in NTSB report CEN12CA415. AviatorDB cross-references NTSB investigation data with FAA registry records to provide comprehensive safety information for aircraft N8788W.
Accident Details
Probable Cause and Findings
The pilot’s failure to ensure that the fuel selector was properly positioned, which resulted in a total loss of engine power due to fuel starvation.
Aircraft Information
Registered Owner (Current)
Analysis
The pilot and three passengers departed the airport in a single-engine airplane. During the climb, when the airplane was about 2,100 feet mean sea level, the engine lost power. The pilot reported that he performed the emergency procedures, but did not think to check the fuel selector. The pilot elected to conduct a force landing in a nearby field. During the landing the airplane’s firewall and left wing sustained substantial damage. The pilot also reported that the fuel selector was on an auxiliary tank that did not contain any fuel. He added that the fuel selector was easy to move inadvertently, and that a passenger’s foot may have moved the selector before takeoff.
Data Source
Data provided by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). For more information on this event, visit the NTSB Records Search website. NTSB# CEN12CA415