CHINO, CA, USA
N5412W
PIPER PA-28-160
AT THE END OF A 5.3 HR FLT, THE PLT ENTERED THE TRAFFIC PATTERN & WAS HI ON BASE & FINAL APCH. HE ELECTED TO GO AROUND, BUT THE ENG LOST POWER DUE TO FUEL EXHAUSTION AT ABOUT 200' AGL, JUST PAST THE DEP END OF THE RWY. THE PLT ATTEMPTED TO RETURN TO THE RWY. THE ACFT ENTERED A STEEP LEFT TURN IN A NOSE HI ATTITUDE, THEN PITCHED DOWN & HIT THE GND BFR THE PLTCOULD RECOVER. ALTHO THE FUEL SYS REMAINED INTACT, NO FUEL WAS FOUND IN THE TANKS OR LINES. AN INV REVEALED THE PLT HAD TAKEN OFF WITH THE ACFT LOADED 264 LBS OVER ITS MAX WT LIMIT & WITH THE CG JUST AHEAD OF THE FORWARD LIMIT. HE HAD ESTIMATED 4.4 HRS EN ROUTE, BUT HAD EXTENDED HIS VFR FLT PLAN BY .7 HR. CALCULATIONS SHOWED THAT IF THE ACFT HAD BEEN LOADED WITHIN ITS MAX LIMITS, 42 TO 44 GAL OF FUEL WOULD HAVE BEEN REQUIRED FOR THE FLT. HOWEVER, FLT TEST DATA SHOWED THAT WITH THE ACFT'S EXTRA WT & FWD CG, APRX 51.5 GAL OF FUEL WOULD HAVE BEEN REQUIRED. TOTAL USABLE FUEL FOR THE ACFT WAS 48 GAL. THE PLT HAD WORKED A NORMAL SHIFT (1600 TO 2400 HRS) PRIOR TO THE FLT. ARPT WAS SCHEDULED TO CLOSE AT 1300.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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