Piper PA-24-250 N7365P

Summary

On 27 July 2011 at about 18:30 local time, a Piper PA-24-250 registered N7365P, operated by Petzold Milton H, was involved in an accident near Sidney, New York, United States. One person was on board and one was seriously injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

27 July 2011 at 18:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Sidney, New York, United States

Nearest airport

Sidney Municipal Airport (N23)

Coordinates

42.3025, -75.4161

Aircraft

Piper PA-24-250

Registration

N7365P

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Petzold Milton H

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Sidney → Sidney

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ERA11CA425

1 person was seriously injured.

The pilot's inadequate fuel planning and management, which resulted in fuel starvation and a total loss of engine power during final approach.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot stated that he last checked the fuel quantity before a flight that he conducted 2 weeks prior to the accident flight. During that flight, he noticed that the right auxiliary fuel gauge was inoperative. The airplane landed uneventfully and remained in a hangar until the accident flight. The purpose of the accident flight was to drain fuel from the right auxiliary fuel tank, in order for maintenance work to be performed on the fuel tank sending unit. The pilot did not check the fuel quantity prior to the accident flight as he estimated that sufficient fuel remained from the previous flight. The pilot completed a 20-minute local flight and was on final approach to land, with the fuel selector positioned to the right auxiliary fuel tank, when a low fuel pressure indicator light illuminated in the cockpit. At that time, the airplane was about 800 feet above ground level, over a populated town. The pilot activated the fuel boost pump, but did not reposition the fuel selector to a different fuel tank. The engine subsequently experienced a total loss of power and the pilot performed a forced landing into trees and a river. During the landing, the airplane sustained substantial damage to both wings and the fuselage. The pilot further stated that the accident was "pilot error" as he ran the right auxiliary fuel tank dry.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.