Summary
On December 02, 2019, a Piper PA28 (N558PU) was involved in an incident near Vero Beach, FL. 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 improper fuel management, which resulted in fuel starvation and a total loss of engine power.
On December 2, 2019, about 1240 eastern standard time, a Piper PA-28-161, N558PU, was substantially damaged during a forced landing in a field at Vero Beach, Florida. The private pilot was not injured. The airplane was operated by FlightSafety International under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a solo-instructional flight. Day, visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the flight. The flight originated at La Belle Municipal Airport (X14), La Belle, Florida about 1130 and was destined for Vero Beach Regional Airport (VRB), Vero Beach, Florida. According to the operator, the pilot departed VRB earlier in the day for a solo, cross-country flight.
This incident is documented in NTSB report ERA20TA046. AviatorDB cross-references NTSB investigation data with FAA registry records to provide comprehensive safety information for aircraft N558PU.
Accident Details
Probable Cause and Findings
The pilot's improper fuel management, which resulted in fuel starvation and a total loss of engine power.
Aircraft Information
Registered Owner (Historical)
Analysis
On December 2, 2019, about 1240 eastern standard time, a Piper PA-28-161, N558PU, was substantially damaged during a forced landing in a field at Vero Beach, Florida. The private pilot was not injured. The airplane was operated by FlightSafety International under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a solo-instructional flight. Day, visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the flight. The flight originated at La Belle Municipal Airport (X14), La Belle, Florida about 1130 and was destined for Vero Beach Regional Airport (VRB), Vero Beach, Florida.
According to the operator, the pilot departed VRB earlier in the day for a solo, cross-country flight. He took off from VRB with full fuel tanks (48 useable gallons) and landed uneventfully at X14. He intended to switch fuel tanks one hour into the flight, contrary to the flight school's policy of every 30 minutes. He forgot to switch tanks prior to landing at X14 and did not switch tanks on the ground at X14 prior to departure. During the return flight to VRB, he again did not switch fuel tanks. While in the traffic pattern at VRB, the engine lost all power. Unable to glide to runway 4, he performed a forced landing in a field to the south of the airport. During the landing roll, the airplane collided with a tree, separating the left wing from the airframe.
An inspector with the Federal Aviation Administration responded to the accident site and examined the wreckage. Both wings and the fuselage were structurally damaged. The left wing fuel tank was not breached and contained no fuel. The right wing fuel tank was completely full of fuel. The cockpit fuel selector handle was found in the left tank position.
Data Source
Data provided by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). For more information on this event, visit the NTSB Records Search website. NTSB# ERA20TA046