Fuel Exhaustion & Starvation · NTSB ERA23FA136
PIPER PA-22-150 — Blue Ridge, GA
| Date | March 5, 2023 |
| Location | Blue Ridge, GA |
| Aircraft | PIPER PA-22-150 |
| Purpose of flight | Instructional |
| Conditions | Day · Visual Meteorological Cond |
| Phase / occurrence | Emergency descent Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) |
| Pilot age | 65 |
| Pilot total time | 151 hrs · Low time |
| Time in type | 97 hrs |
| Fatalities | 1 |
Probable cause
NTSB findings
- Aircraft-Aircraft systems-Fuel system-Fuel selector/shutoff valve-Unintentional use/operation
- Aircraft-Fluids/misc hardware-Fluids-Fuel-Fluid management
What happened
The pilot’s flight instructor reported that the pilot, who had not flown for several years, was planning on practicing traffic pattern work in preparation for a flight review. The instructor observed the airplane take off and climb to about 200 ft, at which time the engine sounded as if it was losing power. The airplane made a left turn toward a field and collided with a tree.
Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed that, although there was fuel system damage, the fuel caps remained secured. Several gallons of fuel was recovered from both tanks. First responders reported the fuel selector was observed positioned between the right tank and the “both" setting. According to the manufacturer of the fuel selector, this would restrict fuel flow. The fuel selector was examined and functioned as designed, with no mechanical anomalies. The pilot’s instructor reported the fuel selector was located by the pilot’s leg and that, due to the pilot’s size, his leg rested on the selector.
Although the engine sustained impact damage, no preimpact mechanical anomalies were found that would have precluded normal engine operation. It is likely that the loss of engine power was a result of the mispositioning of the fuel selector valve.