Piper PA-24-250 N5961P

Summary

On 11 February 2005 at about 01:40 local time, a Piper PA-24-250 registered N5961P, operated by Timothy J. Prantle, was involved in an accident near Bolivar, Missouri, United States. 3 people were on board and 3 were seriously injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

11 February 2005 at 01:40

Classification

Accident

Location

Bolivar, Missouri, United States

Coordinates

37.5961, -93.3481

Aircraft

Piper PA-24-250

Registration

N5961P

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Timothy J. Prantle

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Zeeland → Lamar

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Dusk

NTSB number

CHI05LA069

3 people were seriously injured.

A loss of engine power due to the pilot's inaccurate preflight and inflight planning which resulted in an inadequate fuel supply for the flight, and the subsequent fuel exhaustion. A factor associated with the accident was the trees that the airplane contacted during the landing.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The airplane contacted trees and terrain on final approach to land following a loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion. The pilot reported he topped the airplane off prior to departure for the cross country flight. He stated he flew at 8,500 feet with a power setting of 2,400 rpm and 22" of manifold pressure. The pilot stated he leaned the mixture by pulling it back until the engine ran rough, then he increased the mixture until it ran smooth again. The pilot reported he became concerned about the amount of fuel on board when he noticed the "fuel gage drop" while en route. He contacted a nearby airport and inquired about obtaining fuel. The airport manager stated they did not have fuel services, but recommended another nearby airport for fuel. He reported the fuel in one of his fuel tanks was exhausted when he was about half way to the alternate airport and the other fuel tank was exhausted when he was in the traffic pattern to land. The pilot stated he miscalculated the headwind and he turned final approach too far out from the runway. He stated the airplane got too low and the right wing contacted trees just before the airplane crashed on the golf course. The airplane had been airborne for approximately 4 hours prior to the fuel exhaustion. Post accident inspection of the airplane revealed no evidence of fuel at the accident site or in either of the airplane's fuel tanks.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.