Pilot Debrief

PIPER PA-25-260 near St. Petersburg, FL — 2010-08-12

Final reportERA10CA417
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Date
2010-08-12
Location
St. Petersburg, FL, USA
Aircraft
PIPER PA-25-260
Registration
N254AB
Category
Airplane
Highest injury
None
Fatalities
0
Phase of flight
Climb

Probable cause

The pilot’s improper fuel management, which resulted in a loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion.

NTSB narrative

According to the pilot, he departed with the airplane's fuel tank full (75 gallons) for the local banner towing flight. He flew for about 3 hours and 30 minutes and then initiated a return to the airport. During the return flight, at an altitude of approximately 1,000 feet, the airplane's engine lost power. Just prior to the power loss, while the airplane was in a climb, the pilot noted that the fuel gauge indicated 30 gallons of fuel remained. The pilot released the banner and performed a forced landing on a road. A postaccident examination of the airplane by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector revealed approximately 8-10 ounces of fuel remained in the single main fuel tank. The main fuel feed line at the bottom of the fuel tank fuel valve contained a few ounces of fuel. The fuel tank was filled with 30 gallons of fuel to test the accuracy of the fuel gauge, which read 33 gallons of fuel. The engine was test run on the airframe. It started and ran at full power with no anomalies noted. According to the airplane's Operating Handbook, the engine burns an average of 14-16 gallons of fuel per hour, at power settings likely used by the pilot. The fueler who fueled the airplane stated that he filled the airplane to a capacity of 68 gallons of fuel, which is what the pilot specifically requested. The examination revealed no evidence of a mechanical malfunction.

Analysis

Primary failure mode
Fuel management
First missed decision gate
Pilot should have verified fuel levels before departure.

NTSB coding

Evidence available

  • ADS-B / radar
  • Photos
  • 7 docket documents
View NTSB final reportView NTSB docket

Docket documents7

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