Piper PA-32-300 N4171W

Summary

On 12 October 2022 at about 20:12 local time, a Piper PA-32-300 registered N4171W was involved in an accident near Paola, Kansas, United States. One person was on board and one had minor injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

12 October 2022 at 20:12

Classification

Accident

Location

Paola, Kansas, United States

Nearest airport

Miami County Airport (K81)

Coordinates

38.5406, -94.9202

Aircraft

Piper PA-32-300

Registration

N4171W

Category

Airplane

Year built

1967

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Olathe → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CEN23LA012

1 person had minor injuries.

The pilot’s improper positioning of the fuel selector, which resulted in fuel starvation and a loss of engine power during a departure climb.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot stated that while the airplane was on the downwind leg for landing at the destination airport, he changed the fuel tank selection to the left main wing fuel tank. The airplane’s touchdown point was beyond a 1/3 down the runway, and the airplane lifted off about 2/3 down the runway for a touch and go. The airplane was about 100-150 ft above the runway, with no runway remaining, when the engine lost power. The pilot attempted a forced landing in a small clearing ahead of the airplane. The airplane stalled and impacted the terrain as the pilot maneuvered to clear trees along the flightpath. Both wings and the fuselage sustained substantial damage. A postaccident examination of the airplane revealed that the airplane had useable fuel and there was no fuel contamination from drained fuel tank samples. An engine test run revealed no mechanical anomalies that would have precluded normal engine operation. The previous airplane owner stated that sometimes when selecting different fuel tanks on the accident airplane with the selector, if the detent was not hit right on, it could be an issue. A lack of a positive selection of the fuel selector could have allowed engine operation for a short time, such as from downwind to landing, due to the limited fuel available downstream of the fuel selector. Also, a change in fuel system configuration while the airplane was in the traffic pattern does not mitigate the risks from an improper selection as afforded by making such a selection before reaching the traffic pattern altitude.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.