According to the pilot, after flying for about four hours, the Piper PA-38-112’s engine lost total power about two miles from the destination airport.
He performed a forced landing to a field near Rockingham, North Carolina, which resulted in substantial damage to the airplane’s fuselage and right wing.
The pilot described that the fuel consumption during the accident flight was higher than he had expected based on the fuel consumption that he had calculated on previous flights.
An FAA inspector examined the airplane after the accident and confirmed that both of the fuel tanks were empty.
In the “Recommendation” section of the NTSB Pilot/Operator Accident Report, the pilot stated that “a more accurate way to determine actual fuel on board and a higher reserve might have prevented this accident.”
Based on this information, it’s likely that the loss of engine power was due to fuel exhaustion.
Probable Cause: The pilot’s improper fuel management, which resulted in fuel exhaustion and a total loss of engine power.
NTSB Identification: 106461
To download the final report. Click here. This will trigger a PDF download to your device.
This December 2022 accident report is provided by the National Transportation Safety Board. Published as an educational tool, it is intended to help pilots learn from the misfortunes of others.
