Piper PA28-140 N6369W

Summary

On 22 April 1990 at about 22:30 local time, a Piper PA28-140 registered N6369W was involved in an accident near Bad Axe, Michigan, United States. 2 people were on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

22 April 1990 at 22:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Bad Axe, Michigan, United States

Nearest airport

Huron County Memorial (76D)

Coordinates

43.8003, -82.9908

Aircraft

Piper PA28-140

Registration

N6369W

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CHI90LA126

Nobody was injured.

TOTAL FAILURE OF THE POWERPLANT DURING THE FINAL APPROACH FOR UNDETERMINED REASONS.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE PILOT STATED THAT WHILE ON FINAL APPROACH AT ABOUT 200 TO 300 FEET ABOVE THE GROUND, THE AIRCRAFT ENGINE BEGAN TO LOSE POWER. THE AIRCRAFT TOUCHED DOWN ON THE EDGE OF A DITCH ON AIRPORT PROPERTY, SHORT OF THE LANDING RUNWAY. POST-ACCIDENT EXAMINATION OF THE AIRCRAFT ENGINE AND SYSTEMS REVEALED NO EVIDENCE OF MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION, AND AN ENGINE RUN-UP WAS SUCCESSFUL. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE 'PROBABLY COULD HAVE GOT IT RESTARTED...BUT I ONLY HAD 200 FEET OF ALTITUDE. I PUMPED THE THROTTLE AND THAT PROBABLY JUST MADE IT WORSE...(I SHOULD HAVE) JUST LEFT IT WIDE OPEN, IT MIGHT HAVE RESTARTED.' HE REPORTED THAT HE HAD FLOWN THE AIRCRAFT 1.5 HOURS SINCE HE PURCHASED IT; PRIOR TO THAT IT HAD NOT FLOWN FOR ABOUT A YEAR. HE ALSO STATED THAT THE PREVIOUS OWNER HAD AUTOMOTIVE FUEL IN THE FUEL SYSTEM.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.