Piper PA-18-150 N7345Z

Summary

On 9 May 2000 at about 19:45 local time, a Piper PA-18-150 registered N7345Z was involved in an accident near Marana, Arizona, United States. One person was 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

9 May 2000 at 19:45

Classification

Accident

Location

Marana, Arizona, United States

Nearest airport

El Tiro (AZ67)

Coordinates

32.4491, -111.2898

Aircraft

Piper PA-18-150

Registration

N7345Z

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Other Work Use

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

LAX00LA189

Nobody was injured.

the pilot's failure to refuel the airplane as required by the airplane's published flight manual resulting in a loss of engine power due to fuel starvation.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

It was the airplane's 15th flight of the day, but the pilot's first. When the tow pilot relieved the previous pilot, he received a briefing, which noted the previous flights, airplane performance, and fuel status, 1/4 full in the left tank and a full right tank. He was departing with a glider in tow when the engine sputtered, regained power, then sputtered again. He released the glider and attempted to switch to the right tank. The airplane collided with a fence at the end of the field. The original 150 horsepower engine was replaced by a 180 horsepower engine in accordance with a Supplemental Type Certificate (STC). It stated the left tank was the main tank, which was to be used for takeoff and landings, while the right tank was an auxiliary tank, which was to be used in level flight only. The STC also required a placard be placed on the left (main) fuel tank noting 'capacity 18 gallons, 9 gallons useable.' Another placard, which read 'EMPTY,' was to be placed on the left-hand fuel gauge at the original 1/2 full mark. These placards were noted in a supplement to the airplane flight manual. This supplement also noted in the limitations section 'Do not take off when left hand fuel tank gauge registers in the red area.'

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.