Piper PA-22 N8095C accident near Anchorage, Alaska

Probable cause

The loss of engine power during final approach due to fuel exhaustion, which resulted from the pilot’s inadequate preflight.

NTSB analysis

The pilot reported that he intended to conduct a short flight to run the engine to avoid a prolonged period between flights. He completed most of the preflight items earlier in the afternoon and then returned later to complete a final preflight check. The pilot stated that the airplane’s fuel tanks contained about 12 to 14 gallons of fuel. He stated that the airplane had large non-original fuel tanks and it was difficult to measure fuel quantities under 10 gallons, and he was also uncertain about how much unusable fuel each tank held.

He departed and entered the traffic pattern. He performed a slip maneuver during the final approach to increase the descent rate. He then added power to arrest the descent rate; however, the engine did not respond and subsequently the engine lost total power. The pilot executed a forced landing short of the runway threshold, resulting in substantial damage to the fuselage and wing strut. After the accident, the pilot stated that the combination of low fuel and the forward slip may have un-ported the fuel in the fuel tank, resulting in the total loss of engine power.

Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed that both fuel tanks were empty; however, fuel was found in the gascolator. The examination of the engine did not reveal evidence of any preimpact failures or malfunctions that would have precluded normal operation.

Given that the airplane was equipped with larger, non-original fuel tanks, with limited unusable fuel data, a known low fuel state, and the pilot’s statement that he performed a uncoordinated slip maneuver, it is likely that the fuel unported from the right fuel tank during the slip maneuver, resulting in a loss of engine power due to fuel starvation.

Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for ANC24LA004 for the full record.