Piper PA-24-250 N8337P

Summary

On 22 June 1990 at about 17:00 local time, a Piper PA-24-250 registered N8337P was involved in an accident near Newport News, Virginia, 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 June 1990 at 17:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Newport News, Virginia, United States

Nearest airport

Patrick Henry Intl (PHF)

Coordinates

37.1095, -76.5193

Aircraft

Piper PA-24-250

Registration

N8337P

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Instructional

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

BFO90LA060

Nobody was injured.

FUEL EXHAUSTION CAUSED BY PILOT MISJUDGING THE FUEL SUPPLY. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS INACCURATE FUEL GAGES.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE PLT AND CFI WERE ON A TRAINING FLIGHT WHEN THE ENGINE LOST POWER THREE TIMES DURING THE FLIGHT. AFTER THE FIRST TWO TIMES THAT POWER LOSS OCCURRED, THE PLT WAS ABLE TO RESTORE POWER TO THE ENGINE AFTER HE SWITCHED FUEL TANKS. THE PLT TRIED UNSUCCESSFULLY TO RESTART THE ENGINE AFTER THE ENGINE LOST POWER THE THIRD TIME. THE PLT AND CFI STATED THAT THE FUEL GAGES INDICATED ADEQUATE FUEL IN THE TANKS. THE PLT VISUALLY CHECKED THE FUEL BEFORE TAKEOFF, AND HE ESTIMATED THERE WAS ABOUT 30 GALLONS OF FUEL IN THE TANKS. THE FLIGHT DURATION WAS ABOUT 45 MINUTES. POST-CRASH EXAMINATION OF THE ACFT REVEALED THE FUEL TANKS WERE EMPTY.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.