Piper PA-28-140 N420FL

Summary

On 20 November 1993 at about 06:24 local time, a Piper PA-28-140 registered N420FL, operated by Aviation Training Associates, was involved in an accident near Maryville, Tennessee, United States. One person was on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

20 November 1993 at 06:24

Classification

Accident

Location

Maryville, Tennessee, United States

Coordinates

35.6597, -84.0892

Aircraft

Piper PA-28-140

Registration

N420FL

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Aviation Training Associates

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Sanford → Knoxville

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Night/Dark

NTSB number

ATL94LA020

Nobody was injured.

THE PILOT'S INADEQUATE INFLIGHT PLANNING, WHICH RESULTED IN FUEL EXHAUSTION PRIOR TO REACHING THE PLANNED DESTINATION.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE PRIVATE PILOT WAS FLYING FROM SANFORD, FL, TO KNOXVILLE, TN. DURING THE DESCENT INTO KNOXVILLE, THE ENGINE QUIT. HE SWITCHED TO THE LEFT TANK (THE RIGHT TANK INDICATED EMPTY) AND WAS UNABLE TO OBTAIN FULL POWER. THE ENGINE THEN QUIT AGAIN. WHEN HE ROCKED THE WINGS, THE ENGINE STARTED MOMENTARILY, THEN QUIT AGAIN. UNABLE TO MAINTAIN POWER ON THE ENGINE, HE FORCE LANDED THE AIRPLANE. THE WRECKAGE CAME TO REST ON POWER LINES NEXT TO A ROAD. THE LEFT WING WAS SEVERED FROM THE AIRCRAFT DURING IMPACT. PERSONNEL AT THE SITE FOUND NO EVIDENCE OF SPILLED FUEL. THE FUEL TANKS WERE RUPTURED AND FREE OF FUEL. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT HE TOOK OFF WITH 50 GALLONS OF FUEL, AND 6 GAL. WAS INDICATED IN THE LEFT TANK WHEN THE ENGINE QUIT. THE ACCIDENT FLIGHT DURATION WAS 5.7 HOURS. 75 PERCENT (CRUISE POWER) FUEL CONSUMPTION IS 8.4 GALLONS/HR.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.