Tuesday, November 06, 2018

Piper PA-24-250 Comanche, N3214P: Accident occurred November 05, 2018 near Clovis Municipal Airport (KCVN), Texico, Curry County, New Mexico

Additional Participating Entity: 
Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Lubbock, Texas

Aviation Accident Factual Report - National Transportation Safety Board:  https://app.ntsb.gov/pdf

Investigation Docket - National Transportation Safety Board:  https://dms.ntsb.gov/pubdms

https://registry.faa.gov/N3214P

Location: Texico, NM
Accident Number: GAA19CA053
Date & Time: 11/05/2018, 1655 MST
Registration: N3214P
Aircraft: Piper PA24
Aircraft Damage: Substantial
Defining Event: Fuel exhaustion
Injuries: 2 Minor, 2 None
Flight Conducted Under: Part 91: General Aviation - Personal 

The pilot reported that, the day before the accident flight, he had refueled the airplane to full tanks (60 gallons of fuel), did a runup of the engine, and a local flight around the pattern to trouble shoot an electrical issue, which was later resolved.

The day of the accident, during the prefight for the cross country flight, the airplane was only "two gallons shy of full" during his visual inspection. About 2.5 hours into the flight after switching fuel tanks multiple times en route, he switched to the left main fuel tank to prepare for landing. He added that about 4 miles south of the destination airport the engine lost power, the airplane was "too low", and he set up to land on a nearby road. The airplane landed with the gear retracted and struck multiple signs before coming to rest.

The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing, fuselage, and empennage.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector reported that, the pilot stated that the airplane flew approximately one hour on the left tank, and then switched to the right tank. The pilot then flew approximately 1.5 hours on the right tank, then felt some buffeting (engine sputter) and turned the boost pump on and switched back to the left tank. The pilot reported that this occurred about 23 miles southeast of the destination airport.

During a telephone conversation with the NTSB IIC, the pilot reported that the total flight time the day of the accident was about 3.1 hours, and that there were no preaccident mechanical failures that he knew of. He added that he estimated the fuel burn at about 14 gallons an hour, and estimated that during the accident flight there was about a 17 knot head wind.

The pilot operating handbook for the airplane states under the endurance/range of the 56 gallon tank airplane, that while at 75% power the airplane has about 3.7 hours of fuel.

During a post-accident examination by the FAA inspector, both fuel tanks were empty with no usable fuel onboard and no fuel leak indications at the accident site.

Pilot Information

Certificate: Private
Age: 25, Male
Airplane Rating(s): Single-engine Land
Seat Occupied: Front
Other Aircraft Rating(s): None
Restraint Used: Lap Only
Instrument Rating(s): None
Second Pilot Present: No
Instructor Rating(s): None
Toxicology Performed: No
Medical Certification: Class 1 Without Waivers/Limitations
Last FAA Medical Exam: 06/28/2018
Occupational Pilot: No
Last Flight Review or Equivalent: 07/28/2018
Flight Time:  153 hours (Total, all aircraft), 29 hours (Total, this make and model), 73 hours (Pilot In Command, all aircraft), 28 hours (Last 90 days, all aircraft), 11 hours (Last 30 days, all aircraft), 4 hours (Last 24 hours, all aircraft) 

Aircraft and Owner/Operator Information

Aircraft Make: Piper
Registration: N3214P
Model/Series: PA24 250
Aircraft Category: Airplane
Year of Manufacture: 1958
Amateur Built: No
Airworthiness Certificate: Normal
Serial Number: 24-292
Landing Gear Type: Retractable - Tricycle
Seats: 4
Date/Type of Last Inspection: 05/01/2018, Annual
Certified Max Gross Wt.: 2800 lbs
Time Since Last Inspection:
Engines: 1 Reciprocating
Airframe Total Time: 3433.83 Hours at time of accident
Engine Manufacturer: Lycoming
ELT: C91A installed, not activated
Engine Model/Series: O-540-A1A5
Registered Owner: Reed Aviation, LLC
Rated Power: 250 hp
Operator: On file
Operating Certificate(s) Held: None

Meteorological Information and Flight Plan

Conditions at Accident Site: Visual Conditions
Condition of Light: Dusk
Observation Facility, Elevation: KCVN, 4216 ft msl
Distance from Accident Site: 3 Nautical Miles
Observation Time: 2356 UTC
Direction from Accident Site: 325°
Lowest Cloud Condition: Clear
Visibility:  10 Miles
Lowest Ceiling: None
Visibility (RVR):
Wind Speed/Gusts: 9 knots /
Turbulence Type Forecast/Actual: None / None
Wind Direction: 280°
Turbulence Severity Forecast/Actual: N/A / N/A
Altimeter Setting: 29.84 inches Hg
Temperature/Dew Point: 16°C / -3°C
Precipitation and Obscuration: No Obscuration; No Precipitation
Departure Point: Austin, TX (EDC)
Type of Flight Plan Filed: None
Destination: Texico, NM (CVN)
Type of Clearance: VFR; VFR Flight Following
Departure Time: 1515 CDT
Type of Airspace: Class G

Airport Information

Airport: CLOVIS MUNI (CVN)
Runway Surface Type: Asphalt
Airport Elevation: 4215 ft
Runway Surface Condition: Dry
Runway Used: 30
IFR Approach: None
Runway Length/Width: 5697 ft / 150 ft
VFR Approach/Landing: Forced Landing; Full Stop; Straight-in 

Wreckage and Impact Information

Crew Injuries: 1 Minor
Aircraft Damage: Substantial
Passenger Injuries: 1 Minor, 2 None
Aircraft Fire: None
Ground Injuries: N/A
Aircraft Explosion: None
Total Injuries: 2 Minor, 2 None
Latitude, Longitude: 34.388611, -103.045000 (est)




TEXICO, N.M. (KAMR/KCIT) - One person was taken to the hospital and two more uninjured when a plane landed on a street with no landing gear in Texico. 

It happened around 5 p.m.

According to officials, the plane began to experience fuel delivery problems, causing a loss of power. 

Officials said the plane glided to the ground and landed without the use of its landing gear in the area of State St. and Wheeler.

The Curry County Sheriff's Office told us there were three people onboard, including the pilot, all from Clovis. 

One person was transported to the hospital for treatment. The other two were examined and released by EMS on the scene. 

No other injuries were reported. 

We are told the National Transportation Safety Board will conduct an investigation into the incident.


Original article can be found here ➤ https://www.myhighplains.com





Texico, NEW MEXICO - On Monday evening Curry County Sheriff's deputies responded to a report of a downed aircraft in the Texico, New Mexico area.

The plane was returning to Clovis, New Mexico after a trip to Austin, Texas. The pilot, Keaton Reed, and passengers John Reed and Cammy Reed are all from Clovis.

Keaton Reed reported the plane began to experience fuel delivery problems, causing a loss of power. The plane glided to the ground and landed, without the use of landing gear, in the area of State and Wheeler Street in Texico.

Cammy Reed was transported to Plains Regional Medical Center for treatment. Keaton and John Reed were examined and released by emergency medical services at the scene. No other injuries were reported.

The National Transportation Safety Board will conduct an investigation into the crash.

Original article ➤ https://www.everythinglubbock.com



CURRY COUNTY, N.M. - A small plane made an emergency landing in the middle of a road in Texico, New Mexico.

The pilot said the plane began experience fuel problems, causing a loss of power. 

The plane landed without the use of landing gear.

One of the people on board the plane was taken to the hospital for treatment. The two others were treated at the scene. No one on the ground was injured.

The passengers were flying to Clovis from Austin, Texas.

Original article can be found here ➤ https://www.kob.com

4 comments:

  1. Another "classic" bites the dust. Hope it wasn't pilot induced fuel exhaustion.

    ReplyDelete
  2. "Fuel Delivery Problems". That covers a wide berth. Let's see: Four Tanks, Engine and Auxiliary Fuel Pumps, Fuel Selector, Vents, Valves.... Anonymous may have guessed the correct factor, though I'd hedge my bet with fuel Starvation.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Paved roads are expensive; paved roads with landing gear are very uncommon.
    Or the landing gear disappeared enroute, leaving the plane with no landing gear (air soluble gear)?
    Word selection and sentence construction is always useful; sometimes critical.
    Editors. Sometimes they can be beneficial.

    Thanks to Kathyrn's Report for keeping us up to date on all these tidbits. A very useful site.

    I don't mean to poke fun at a tragedy - only poking at some writer in Texico (yes, I have been through there many times).


    8-)

    ReplyDelete