OSHKOSH, WI, USA
N5713P
PIPER PA-24-250
THE AIRCRAFT RAN OUT OF FUEL AFTER 3+41 HOURS OF FLIGHT. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE WAS SURE THE TANKS WERE FULL ON TAKEOFF. FLIGHT PLANNING AND A DOCUMENTED CONSERVATIVE FUEL BURN RATE INDICATED THAT THE AIRCRAFT SHOULD HAVE BEEN ABLE TO REMAIN AIRBORNE FOR AT LEAST 4+37 HOURS (13 GALLONS PER HOUR DIVIDED BY THE ACFT FUEL CAPACITY OF 60 GALLONS). AN EXAMINATION OF THE FUEL BLADDER CELLS REVEALED SEVERAL LOOSE RETAINING CLIPS AND GENERAL COLLAPSING AND DISTORTION OF BOTH CELLS. ACCORDING TO THE LOGBOOK THE AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVE TO REMEDY THIS PROBLEM WAS COMPLIED WITH 41 FLIGHT HOURS PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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