Piper PA-28-235 N9199W

Summary

On 2 September 2001 at about 02:53 local time, a Piper PA-28-235 registered N9199W was involved in an accident near Carson City, Nevada, United States. 3 people were on board and 2 were seriously injured. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

2 September 2001 at 02:53

Classification

Accident

Location

Carson City, Nevada, United States

Nearest airport

Carson (CXP)

Coordinates

39.2091, -119.7092

Aircraft

Piper PA-28-235

Registration

N9199W

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Carson City → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Dusk

NTSB number

LAX01LA299

2 people were seriously injured.

The pilot's incorrect setting of the fuel selector valve during the prelanding checklist to a position between usable tanks, resulting in fuel starvation.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

As the airplane returned to the airport after a local flight at twilight, the pilot completed the landing checklist as the airplane approached the 45-degree leg. The pilot intended to move the fuel selector handle from the right tip tank position, across two intermediate tank positions, to the left tip tank position. The next position further to the left is the "off" position, which is guarded by a spring-loaded mechanical stop. In the wreckage the mechanical stop was found attached to a plastic cover over the fuel selector; however, the cover was broken from the selector handle assembly. Because of turbulent flight conditions, the pilot entered the downwind leg at the uncontrolled airport about 1,000 feet high and descended on extended downwind leg at near idle power. When he advanced the throttle to arrest the airplane's descent on extended base leg, there was no response from the engine. The fuel pressure read "zero." He attempted to restart the engine and switched the fuel selector to another tank position; however, insufficient altitude remained to afford sufficient time to restart the engine. The aircraft impacted a tree and crashed in the back yard of a residence, striking an occupant of the residence who was in the yard. The morning after the accident there was no fuel in the fuel lines forward of the firewall; however, the aircraft had been inverted overnight. About 2.5 ounces of fuel was found in the carburetor float bowl. When the fuel selector handle was positioned between tanks, the investigation showed each of the adjacent ports was about 10-percent open. Examination of the airplane revealed the annual inspection was 1-month overdue; however, it did not reveal any evidence of preimpact mechanical failure.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.