Evans, GA, USA
N6688P
Piper PA-24-250
The pilot stated that about 40 minutes into the flight, at an altitude of about 3,000 feet, all of a sudden, and without warning, the engine ceased operating. He said he performed the emergency procedures, but was unable to get the engine operating again, and he affected a forced landing at the edge of a wooded area. A witness stated that he was in a parking lot, and he saw the airplane, and heard it "cutting on and off", and "waving" back and forth, before it crashed. A detective with the Columbia County Sheriff's Office stated that the pilot told him that he ran out of fuel and tried to land in an open field, but ended up crashing on the bank of a private pond. According to the FAA inspector who responded to the accident scene, the accident airplane's right wing had been destroyed, along with its associated fuel tank as a result of the impact, but the left wing had remained intact. The inspector further stated that the fuel tank in the left wing was found to be nearly full of fuel, and examination of fuel lines from the gascolator to the fuel pump, and from the fuel pump to the carburetor did not reveal any evidence of fuel. The NTSB conducted an operational test of the engine at Atlanta Air Salvage, Griffin, Georgia, and it functioned, exhibiting no evidence of preaccident failure or malfunction. In addition, a detailed examination and test of the airplane's carburetor revealed no anomalies.
On November 20, 2001, about 1030 eastern standard time, a Piper PA-24-250, N6688P, registered to and operated by, a private individual, as a Title 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight, crashed in a neighborhood in Evans, Georgia. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed. The private-rated pilot received serious injuries, and the aircraft incurred substantial damage. The flight originated from Anderson, South Carolina, the same day, about 0930. The pilot stated that about 40 minutes into the flight, while the airplane was at an altitude of about 3,000 feet, all of a sudden, and without warning, the engine ceased operating. He said he performed the emergency procedures, but was unable to get the engine operating again. At an altitude of 2,200 feet, he said it became necessary to select an emergency landing spot, so he concentrated on flying the airplane, and affected a forced landing at the edge of a wooded area. A witness stated that he was in a parking lot, and he saw the airplane, and heard it "cutting on and off", and "waving back and forth", before it crashed. In addition, a detective with the Columbia County Sheriff's Office stated that when he responded to the scene, emergency personnel were helping the pilot out of the accident airplane, and the pilot stated to him that he ran out of fuel and tried to land in an open field, but ended up crashing on the bank of a private pond. Rescue personnel who responded to the accident stated that they found no evidence of fuel spillage at the accident scene, and added that when they first responded they heard a "humming" sound coming from the airplane wreckage, so a firefighter pulled a 50-Ampere circuit breaker and the "humming" sound ceased. In addition, rescue personnel said they also turned the airplane's "key switch" to the off position, and moved the fuel selector control from the "left" position to the "off" position. An FAA inspector who responded to the accident scene said that the accident airplane's right wing had been destroyed as a result of the impact, but the left wing had remained intact, and that its associated fuel tank was found to be nearly full of fuel. The inspector further stated that there was no evidence of any fuel spillage in the area of the right fuel tank which had been destroyed. Examination of the engine, to include the fuel lines from the gascolator to the fuel pump, and from the fuel pump to the carburetor did not reveal any evidence of fuel. The NTSB conducted an operational test of the engine at Atlanta Air Salvage, Griffin, Georgia, and it functioned, exhibiting no evidence of preaccident failure or malfunction. In addition, a detailed examination and test of the airplane's carburetor revealed no anomalies.
The pilot's improper fuel management and failure switch to the other fuel tank which had fuel available prior to the engine ceasing to operate, which resulted in fuel starvation and damage to the airplane during an off-airport landing.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
Aviation Accidents App
In-Depth Access to Aviation Accident Reports
