N44595 – PIPER PA-28-140 – 2012-10-06 NTSB Accident Report

On October 06, 2012, a Piper PA-28-140 (N44595) was involved in an incident near Beltzville, PA. All 2 people aboard were uninjured. The aircraft sustained substantial damage.

The National Transportation Safety Board determined the probable cause of this incident to be: The flight instructor’s improper fuel management, which resulted in a loss of engine power due to fuel starvation.

The certificated flight instructor (CFI) completed a preflight inspection, and noted that each wing fuel tank contained approximately 18 gallons of fuel before departing on the local instructional flight. At the conclusion of the flight, while returning to the departure airport, the engine experienced a total loss of power. The CFI stated that he maneuvered the airplane for a forced landing to a field while conducting the emergency landing checklist; however, he did not change the fuel tank selector position. The airplane touched down in the field and impacted a row of trees, resulting in substantial damage to both wings. Following the accident, approximately 18 gallons of fuel was observed in the left wing tank, and about 8 ounces of fuel were drained from the right wing tank.

This incident is documented in NTSB report ERA13CA011. AviatorDB cross-references NTSB investigation data with FAA registry records to provide comprehensive safety information for aircraft N44595.