PAULS VALLEY, OK, USA
N7593J
PIPER PA-28R-180
THE ACFT HAD BEEN REFUELED AT A NRBY ARPT BEFORE THIS PLT STARTED HIS FLT. HE TOOK OFF & FLEW THE ACFT FROM OKLAHOMA CITY TO TISHOMINGO, OK, WITH THE FUEL SELECTOR PSND TO THE RIGHT TANK (THE TANK THAT WAS LAST USED BY THE PREVIOUS PLT).ON THE RTRN FLT TO OKLAHOMA CITY AT NIGHT, THE PLT'S FATHER NOTICED THE RIGHT GAGE INDCD EMPTY WHILE THE LEFT INDCD FULL. PLT COULD NOT FIND THE FUEL SELECTOR VALVE & REQUESTED HELP FROM ARTCC. BEFORE THEY COULD HELP HIM, THE ENG LOST POWER. THERE HAPPENED TO BE A PLT AT ARTCC, WHO WAS FAMILIAR WITH THE PA-28. BY THE TIME HE WAS FOUND & INFO WAS PASSED TO THE PLT OF N7593J, THE ACFT HAD NRLY DSCNDD TO THE GROUND. AS THE PLT WAS REACHING FOR THE FUEL SELECTOR, THE ACFT HIT TREES & CRASHED. LATER, THE PLT SAID HE HAD NEVER OPERD THE LANDING GEAR OR FUEL SELECTOR DRG HIS CHECKOUT IN THE AIRCRAFT. HE THOUGHT THE FUEL SELECTOR WAS ON THE FLOOR, BETWEEN THE SEATS, BUT IT WAS LOCATED ON THE LEFT WALL OF THE COCKPIT, NEAR THE PLT'S LEFT KNEE. THE FUEL SELECTOR WAS FOUND PSND TO THE EMPTY RIGHT TANK.
IMPROPER PLANNING/DECISION BY THE PILOT, HIS LACK OF UNDERSTANDING OF THE PROCEDURES FOR OPERATING THE AIRCRAFT, HIS IMPROPER USE OF THE FUEL SELECTOR IN MANAGING HIS FUEL SUPPLY, FUEL STARVATION, AND THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO KNOW AND FOLLOW THE EMERGENCY PROCEDURES WHEN THE ENGINE LOST POWER. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS WERE: INADEQUATE TRANSITION TRAINING PROVIDED BY THE INSTRUCTOR PILOT, THE PILOT'S LACK OF FAMILIARITY WITH THE AIRCRAFT, THE DARK NIGHT, AND THE TREES.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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