Piper PA32 N3862W accident near Spartanburg, South Carolina

Probable cause

The flight instructor’s improper fuel management, which resulted in fuel starvation and a total loss of engine power.

NTSB analysis

Prior to the cross-country instructional flight, the airplane had a total fuel load of about 70 gallons, which was enough for about 5 hours of total flight time. After about 2.3 hours of flight, as they approached the home airport about 800 ft above ground level, there was a complete loss of engine power. The flight instructor and student pilot performed the emergency checklist to no avail. During the ensuing forced landing, the airplane impacted trees and terrain about 3/4 of a mile from the airport.

The instructor and student had departed with the fuel selector on the right tank and switched to the left tank during the flight. Neither pilot recalled switching back to the right tank during the later stages of the flight. Fire rescue personnel reported that they moved the fuel selector from the left main tank to the off position after the accident. A surveillance video that captured a portion of the final impact showed a misty vapor that was likely vaporized fuel emanating from the trees as a fuel tank ruptured during impact, indicating there was fuel on board. A postaccident examination of the airframe and engine revealed no evidence of any preimpact mechanical anomalies that would have precluded normal operation. Based on this information it is most likely that the fuel selector remained on the left main tank until all the fuel it contained was exhausted, which resulted in a loss of engine power due to fuel starvation.

Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for ERA21LA344 for the full record.