WARMINSTER, PA, USA
N33330
PIPER PA-28-151
THE PILOT STATED THAT DURING THE APPROACH AND LANDING CHECK LIST, HE WAS DISTRACTED BY A SICK PASSENGER AND DID NOT SELECT THE FULLEST FUEL TANK (RIGHT TANK) AND TURN THE ELECTRIC FUEL PUMP ON. '...ABOUT ONE HALF MILE FROM THE [RUNWAY]...I APPLIED POWER TO ARREST MY DESCENT RATE. THERE WAS NO POWER....I IMMEDIATELY WENT THROUGH ENGINE FAILURE PROCEDURES....I DISCOVERED THE FUEL STARVATION OR LOSS OF ENGINE POWER CONDITION TOO LATE AND TOO LOW TO ACCURATELY ASSESS ITS CAUSE AND SOLUTION BEFORE CRASH LANDING...JUST OFF THE APPROACH END OF RUNWAY 27....IT WAS VERY DARK BENEATH US IN THE FIELD....WE SLOWLY TUMBLED OVER AFTER LANDING ON THE SOFT FILED.' POSTACCIDENT EXAMINATION REVEALED NO FUEL REMAINING IN THE LEFT TANK, 13 GALLONS OF FUEL IN THE RIGHT TANK AND THE FUEL SELECTOR SELECTED TO THE RIGHT TANK.
On September 29, 1995, about 1930 eastern daylight time, a Piper PA-28-151, N33330, was substantially damaged, when it collided with terrain, during a forced landing at the Warminster Airport, Warminster, Pennsylvania. The commercial pilot and three passengers were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the personal flight operated by the Warminster Navy Flying Club. No flight plan was filed for the local flight conducted under 14 CFR Part 91. In the NTSB form 6120.1/2, the pilot stated: ...With runway 27's approach lights flashing directly ahead of the aircraft, and at about one half mile from the numbers [runway], I sensed the aircraft was sinking and applied power to arrest my descent rate. There was no power. I immediately went through engine failure procedures on the front panel, very rushed, since I could already see the trees directly in front of the windscreen....I discovered the fuel starvation or loss of engine power condition too late and too low to accurately assess its cause and solution before crash landing into the Navy's plowed field, just off the approach end of runway 27....It was very dark beneath us in the field....We slowly tumbled over after landing on the soft field.... In a report submitted by the Warminster Navy Flying Club, it stated: ...During the approach back into Warminster and while on downwind, the [pilot] performed the approach and landing checklist but did not select the fullest tank (right tank) and turn on the electric fuel pump. [The pilot] later stated that he was rushed and pre-occupied with a non-communicative rear passenger who was possibly getting air sick....while on final approach, the engine quit due to fuel starvation....[The pilot] executed engine failure procedures, selected the fullest tank (right tank) but did not energize the [fuel] boost pump. The engine did not start....Initial investigation of the wreckage found zero fuel remaining in the left wing tank and 13 gallons in the right wing tank. Visual inspection of the cockpit revealed the right fuel tank selected, throttle open, mixture rich, [fuel] boost pump off and all circuit beakers in.... Additionally, the pilot stated that there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures.
the pilot's improper positioning of the fuel selector which resulted in a total loss of engine power due to fuel starvation. A contributing factor was pilot distraction.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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