Piper PA 28-180 N4286T accident near Sulphur, Louisiana

Probable cause

The pilot’s failure to properly manage the airplane’s fuel supply, which led to fuel starvation and a total loss of engine power.

NTSB analysis

The pilot reported that the airplane's engine lost power about 5 minutes after takeoff and that the starter would not engage to facilitate a restart. He then executed a landing on a highway, during which the landing gear collapsed. After the accident, a first responder who held a pilot certificate examined the fuel tanks and found no fuel in the left fuel tank and that the right fuel tank was full. Additionally, the first responder found the fuel selector positioned to the left tank. No fuel leaks were detected. During recovery of the airplane, 22 gallons of fuel were drained from the right wing fuel tank and about 3 ounces of fuel were drained from the left wing fuel tank. Postaccident examination of the airplane and engine, including the engine starter, revealed no preimpact anomalies. The pilot provided fuel planning information that indicated that the airplane should have had sufficient fuel to complete the flight on a single tank; however, the pilot did not position the fuel selector to the full tank. Therefore, it is likely that the engine power loss was due to fuel starvation.

Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for CEN14TA421 for the full record.