Piper PA-28-161 N8149Q

Summary

On 16 May 2006 at about 17:14 local time, a Piper PA-28-161 registered N8149Q was involved in an accident near Ormond Beach, Florida, 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

16 May 2006 at 17:14

Classification

Accident

Location

Ormond Beach, Florida, United States

Nearest airport

Ormond Beach (KOMN)

Coordinates

29.3114, -81.1139

Aircraft

Piper PA-28-161

Registration

N8149Q

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Instructional

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Ormond Beach → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

MIA06CA111

Nobody was injured.

A loss of engine power due to the student pilot's improper positioning of the fuel selector during takeoff. A contributing factor was the pilot's failure to abort the takeoff.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The airplane was flown by the student and certified flight instructor (CFI) on 2 separate flights lasting a total of approximately 2.8 hours. While taxiing after landing following the second flight, the CFI reportedly advised the student to fill the fuel tanks before flying solo in the traffic pattern. The student reported that while taxiing after landing following the second flight the CFI advised him after looking at the fuel gauges to supply fuel to the engine from the left tank because it had a greater amount of fuel. The airplane was not fueled before the student departed solo and during the initial climb to remain in the traffic pattern, the engine sputtered. The student decreased the angle of attack and engine power was restored; this sequence was reported as occurring 3 times by a witness located on the airport. After the engine lost power a third time, engine power was not restored and the airplane collided with trees, then the ground during a forced landing. Postaccident inspection revealed the fuel selector was found positioned to the left fuel tank which was empty, while the right fuel tank was approximately 1/2 full. The airplane was recovered without removal of the wings and transported to the airport where the engine was started and operated without discrepancies to 1,000 rpm. Concern for internal engine damage precluded operation at a higher rpm. Examination of the fuel gauges revealed that with electrical power applied, the left fuel gauge "pegged full." The left fuel transmitter and left fuel gauge independently tested satisfactory. Examination of the electrical wiring from the left fuel transmitter to the fuel gauge revealed a discrepancy with a connection near the wing root.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.