BONNE TERRE, MO, USA
N8303Y
PIPER PA-28-161
THE PLT RPRTD THE ENG LOST PWR FM FUEL EXHAUSTION AS HE WAS CRUISING AT NGT ON A X-COUNTRY FLT AT 6500' MSL. HE DECLAREDAN EMERG WITH ST LOUIS APCH & REQD VECTORS TO THE NEAREST ARPT. THE CONTROLLER (CTLR) PROVIDED VECTORS TO THE BONNE TERRE ARPT WHICH WAS ABOUT 7 MI AWAY, BUT IT HAD NEITHER RWY LGTS NOR A ROTATING BEACON. THE PLT WAS UNABLE TO LOCATE THE ARPT & ELECTED TO MAKE A NGT LNDG ON A ROADWAY. AS HE WAS LNDG, THERE WAS A LEFT CURVE IN THE ROADWAY. WHILE LNDG IN A LEFT BANK OVER THE CURVED ROAD, THE LEFT WING CONTACTED THE GND & THE ACFT GND LOOPED & WAS DAMAGED. THE ACDNT OCCURRED ABOUT 1 MI FM THE UNLIGHTED ARPT. AN INVESTIGATION REVEALED THERE WAS A LIGHTED ARPT ABOUT THE SAME DISTANCE FM WHERE THE ENG LOST POWER. THE PLT STATED THAT DRG A PREFLT, HE NOTED THE FUEL WAS AT/NEAR THE BOTTOM OF THE SLEEVES (TABS). HE THOUGHT THE TANKS WERE INSIDE THE WING SKIN & THAT THE TABS REPRESENTED A FULL FUEL LVL, WHEN ACTUALLY THE FUEL TANKS WERE ABOUT 1-1/2 INCH BELOW THE FULL LVL. ALSO, HE SAID HE ENCOUNTERED UNEXPECTED HEADWINDS DRG THE FLT.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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