Piper PA-28-150 N5172W

Summary

On 11 June 1996 at about 00:00 local time, a Piper PA-28-150 registered N5172W, operated by Albert R. Diem, was involved in an accident near Bountiful, Utah, United States. One person was on board and one had minor injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

11 June 1996 at 00:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Bountiful, Utah, United States

Nearest airport

Bountiful Skypark (BTF)

Coordinates

40.8799, -111.8207

Aircraft

Piper PA-28-150

Registration

N5172W

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Albert R. Diem

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

SEA96LA119

1 person had minor injuries.

inadequate fuel management by the student pilot, which resulted in fuel starvation, due to an improperly positioned fuel selector. Factors relating to the accident were: the pilot's inadequate remedial action, and a ditch in the emergency landing area.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The student pilot stated that during his preflight inspection, there were 'over 20 gallons' of automotive fuel in the aircraft's left tank and 5.5 gallons in the right tank. The aircraft was modified per FAA supplemental type certificate to run on automotive fuel. The pilot stated that the aircraft's fuel selector was in the right tank position when he entered the aircraft, and although he believed he switched it to left tank before the flight, he was not certain of this. The pilot said that intermittent power interruptions started immediately after lift-off and worsened in the right-hand traffic pattern; the engine stopped completely, when he turned base. The pilot did not recall attempting to switch fuel tanks during the event. The aircraft landed about 300 yards short of the runway and struck a ditch. Two tablespoons of automotive fuel were found in the carburetor float bowl after the accident; the engine was later successfully test-run. An individual who entered the aircraft and shut off its fuel selector valve after the accident stated he switched the valve from a position 'clockwise to the right' to OFF. The last documented annual inspection of the aircraft was in 1993.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.