Summary
On March 04, 2018, a Piper PA32 (N3756W) was involved in an incident near Camas, WA. 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 pilot’s inadequate inflight fuel management and his failure to switch to a fuel tank with adequate fuel, which resulted in fuel starvation.
The pilot reported that, prior to departure, he estimated that the right tip fuel tank was three-quarters full, about 14 gallons, and each main fuel tank had about 20 gallons of fuel.
The pilot reported that, during cruise, he decided to use the right tip fuel tank, even though he was aware that the right tip fuel tank gauge was inoperative. He added that, after about 25-30 minutes, he performed various stall maneuvers before returning to the departure airport to land. The pilot noticed a reduction in engine power, a drop in the manifold pressure, and concluded that the airplane would not be able to return to the airport, so he continued a left-hand turn towards a farm field. The pilot began to troubleshoot for carburetor ice, but to no avail.
This incident is documented in NTSB report GAA18CA184. AviatorDB cross-references NTSB investigation data with FAA registry records to provide comprehensive safety information for aircraft N3756W.
Accident Details
Probable Cause and Findings
The pilot’s inadequate inflight fuel management and his failure to switch to a fuel tank with adequate fuel, which resulted in fuel starvation.
Aircraft Information
Registered Owner (Current)
Analysis
The pilot reported that, prior to departure, he estimated that the right tip fuel tank was three-quarters full, about 14 gallons, and each main fuel tank had about 20 gallons of fuel.
The pilot reported that, during cruise, he decided to use the right tip fuel tank, even though he was aware that the right tip fuel tank gauge was inoperative. He added that, after about 25-30 minutes, he performed various stall maneuvers before returning to the departure airport to land. The pilot noticed a reduction in engine power, a drop in the manifold pressure, and concluded that the airplane would not be able to return to the airport, so he continued a left-hand turn towards a farm field. The pilot began to troubleshoot for carburetor ice, but to no avail. The airplane landed in the farm field and impacted a ditch.
The airplane sustained substantial damage to the engine mounts.
The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
The pilot added that, during a postaccident examination, it was revealed that the right tip fuel tank was dry and "that the engine lost power due to fuel starvation."
Data Source
Data provided by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). For more information on this event, visit the NTSB Records Search website. NTSB# GAA18CA184