HAYMARKET, VA, USA
N40892
PIPER PA-28-180
AFTER NEARLY 3 HRS OF FLT, THE ENG BEGAN RUNNING ROUGH. THE PLT APPLIED CARB HEAT, TURNED ON THE ELECTRIC FUEL PUMP, AND MOVED THE MIXTURE TO RICH, BUT THE ENG LOST ALL POWER. THE PLT ATTEMPTED TO MAKE AN EMERGENCY LANDING IN A PASTURE; HOWEVER, BEFORE REACHING THE PASTURE, THE ACFT CONTACTED TREES & CRASHED. AN EXAM OF THE ACFT REVEALED THE FUEL SELECTOR WAS POSITIONED TO THE LEFT TANK, WHICH CONTAINED APRX 1 PINT OF FUEL. THE RIGHT TANK WAS FULL OF FUEL. DRG A POST-ACDNT TEST RUN, THE ENG OPERATED NORMALLY. THE PLT WAS A FOREIGN NATIONAL FROM MOZAMBIQUE.
IMPROPER USE OF THE FUEL SELECTOR, WHICH RESULTED IN FUEL STARVATION & LOSS OF ENGINE POWER; AND IMPROPER USE OF EMERGENCY PROCEDURES AFTER LOSS OF ENGINE POWER. THE PRESENCE OF HIGH OBSTRUCTIONS (TREES) IN THE APPROACH PATH TO THE EMERGENCY LANDING AREA WAS A FACTOR.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
Aviation Accidents App
In-Depth Access to Aviation Accident Reports