Aviation Crash Map

Piper PA-24-250 N6583R

20 March 2004 · West Palm Beach, Florida, United States · No injuries

Summary

On 20 March 2004 at about 22:00 local time, a Piper PA-24-250 registered N6583R, operated by Ralf Koklar, was involved in an accident near West Palm Beach, Florida, United States. 2 people were 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.

The record

Date
at 22:00
Classification
Accident
Location
West Palm Beach, Florida, United States
Coordinates
26.5889, -80.0933
Aircraft
Piper PA-24-250
Registration
N6583R
Category
Airplane
Engines
1
Operator
Ralf Koklar
Operating rule
Part 91: General Aviation
Purpose of flight
Personal
Phase of flight
Not recorded
Route
Lantana → Unknown
Aircraft damage
Substantial
Weather
VMC
Light
Day
NTSB number
ANC04LA043

People

Nobody was injured.

On board Died Serious Minor Uninjured
2 0 0 0 2

Probable cause

The incorrect assembly of the fuel selector valve by maintenance personnel, and the pilot's failure to make a precautionary landing to assess the fuel situation and lack of movement of the right fuel tank indicator. which resulted in fuel starvation and the loss of engine power during cruise flight.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

During the first flight after having maintenance performed on the airplane's fuel system, the pilot reported a total loss of engine power in cruise flight. During the flight the pilot and pilot-rated passenger discussed the lack of movement of the right fuel indicator needle with both main tanks in the "ON" position. After the loss of engine power, the pilot asked the more experienced pilot-rated passenger to take the controls for the landing. The airplane landed in a plowed field. After landing, the pilots noted that the right main tank was full, and the left main tank was empty. An inspection of the fuel system found the right fuel selector valve was assembled incorrectly, and actually blocked the flow of fuel from the right main tank when selected to the "ON" position.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.

Other Piper PA-24 accidents

Date Aircraft Location Operator Outcome Died
30 Jul 2004 Piper PA-24
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Rockville, Indiana, United States - Minor injuries -
1 Aug 2004 Piper PA-24-260
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Redmond, Oregon, United States - No injuries -
3 Aug 2004 Piper PA-24-180
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29 Oct 2004 Piper PA-24
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22 Jul 2004 Piper PA-24-250
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2 Nov 2004 Piper PA-24-250
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Ogden, Utah, United States KW Avation Serious injuries -

All 2,700 records for this type

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All 170,864 records in United States