The pilot reported that he did not adequately verify that the required fuel was onboard the Piper PA28 during the preflight inspection.
After completing a local flight, while on approach for landing at the airport in Beloit, Ohio, the engine lost total power and the pilot made a forced landing that resulted in damage to the fuselage, right wing leading edge, and both ailerons.
He initially assumed the cause of the engine power loss was carburetor icing.
A post-accident examination revealed the fuel tanks were intact and empty.
The pilot discovered the airplane had not been refueled after a previous flight as he had assumed. He attributed his oversight during the preflight inspection to complacency and rushing.
Probable Cause: The pilot’s inadequate preflight inspection and inflight planning that resulted in a total loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion.
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This October 2020 accident report is provided by the National Transportation Safety Board. Published as an educational tool, it is intended to help pilots learn from the misfortunes of others.
‘ inadequate pre- flight fuel inspection ‘ presumably inadequate ‘inflight ‘ fuel inspection too . One glance at the fuel gauge , which would be hovering at or around ‘ E. ‘ would have had him nursing the ship from one decent forced landing area to the next on the way to the closest airstrip , hopefully at max-range A/S ( which he may not have known ) , ……exciting stuff !
J-3 Cub “Full Fuel”= 12 gallons.
How come they never seem to run out of gas?
He learned, the hard way, the age-old mantra that applies to every facet of life:
“Play stupid games, win stupid prizes”.
Glad he lived and hopefully learned a lesson….and hopefully passes that lesson on to others.
You at least have to give the guy credit for assuming responsibility for his mistake. With so many people today, the mantra is, “But it’s not my fault!” Someone else is always responsible for their misfortune. At least this guy admitted it was his mistake.
True enough, sir.
Extra fuel makes up for other mistakes.
Left the airport Friday to a destination airport that had a notam of closed runway till 4pm local.
Knowing that things never work out the way it is planned, I planned on enough fuel to fly to another airport if needed. True enough, 4pm came and went with the runway still closed. No problem, flew away from the airport, came back 1/2 hour later. Still closed but removing equipment. Announced intention to fly the pattern till runway was open.
Sure glad I had plenty of fuel.
Absolutely no excuses to take off without full tanks or at least tab fule in the tanks of a pa 28-140! Myself it’s full tanks because one never knows what will turn up after one leaves the ground. 10 gallons an hour in the pattern an 8 gallons an hour in cruise.. Some people just don’t need to be pilots!! What ever the problem, instructor, student, mechanical, or improper pre planning should never be ignored!!! Just my 2 cents.
It’s like the pilots that do not check ‘full and free movement’ of the controls and still take off with the control locks still in place, unbelievable.
There are old pilots and complacent pilots but no old complacent pilots. He’s lucky he lived.
I don’t mow the lawn without checking the gas 🤷🏼♂️
I suppose the 12 seconds it takes to remove the fuel cap and look inside was too time consuming…
Do these planes not have fuel gauges?