Piper PA-28-151 N44240

Summary

On 7 November 1998 at about 22:08 local time, a Piper PA-28-151 registered N44240 was involved in an accident near Chattanooga, Tennessee, United States. 3 people were on board and 2 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

7 November 1998 at 22:08

Classification

Accident

Location

Chattanooga, Tennessee, United States

Nearest airport

Lovell Field (CHA)

Coordinates

35.0296, -85.2293

Aircraft

Piper PA-28-151

Registration

N44240

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Evansville → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

MIA99FA031

2 people had minor injuries.

The pilot's inadequate in-flight planning/decision which led to fuel exhaustion.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot did not obtain a preflight weather briefing or determine the true airspeed for the 593 statute mile 2 leg cross country flight; he assumed indicated airspeed was the ground speed. The flight departed on the first leg with fuel tanks slightly less than full and arrived uneventfully 3.5 hours later. Fuel was not purchased and the flight departed on the second leg. While near the destination airport, the engine quit due to fuel exhaustion. At that time the fuel gauges each indicated approximately 2-3 gallons remaining. While descending for the forced landing, the airplane collided with trees then the ground. Examination of the airplane revealed no evidence of fuel leakage in flight. Approximately 4 ounces of fuel were drained from the carburetor and from the gascolator. Fuel lines in the engine compartment were empty. Approximately 1/2 ounce of fuel was drained from the right wing fuel tank. No engine failure or malfunction noted. The pilot further stated that during the entire flight time, the mixture control was in the full rich position. Fuel consumption calculations performed for the flight by FAA personnel revealed 47.79 gallons of fuel used out of a total of 48 gallons of usable fuel.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.