PORTLAND, OR, USA
N2146Y
PIPER PA-28-161
THE PILOT, ENROLLED IN A COURSE FOR A COMMERCIAL PILOT CERTIFICATE, WAS SCHEDULED FOR A SOLO FLIGHT FROM SEATTLE TO BREMERTON, WASHINGTON AND RETURN. HE DEPARTED AT ABOUT 1300 PDT. AT ABOUT 1635 PDT, RESIDENTS NEAR THE CRASH SITE REPORTED THAT THEY SAW AND HEARD A LOW FLYING AIRCRAFT CIRCLE THE AREA SEVERAL TIMES, THEN CRASH. ONE WITNESS REPORTED THE ENGINE WAS SPUTTERING AS THE PLANE PASSED OVER HIS HOUSE. THE PLANE CRASHED IN A WOODED AREA. THE LEFT WING WAS TORN FROM THE FUSELAGE, BUT A WITNESS REPORTED FUEL LEAKING FROM THE LEFT TANK. AN INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE FUEL SELECTOR WAS POSITIONED TO THE RIGHT TANK AND THE PLANE HAD FLOWN 3 TO 5 HRS. BASED ON THE FLIGHT MANUAL, THE PLANE WOULD HAVE USED 21 TO 31 GALLONS OF FUEL. THE CAPACITY OF EACH TANK WAS 24 USABLE GALLONS. A TOXICOLOGICAL TEST OF THE PILOT'S BLOOD REVEALED AN ALCOHOL LEVEL OF .303%. THE POLICE AND MEDICAL PERSONNEL STATED THAT THE PILOT'S SEAT BELT WAS NOT FASTENED WHEN THEY ARRIVED AT THE CRASH SITE.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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