The National Transportation Safety Board did not travel to the scene of this accident.
Additional Participating Entity:
Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Cincinnati, Ohio
Investigation Docket - National Transportation Safety Board:
Location: Loveland, Ohio
Accident Number: CEN20LA290
Date & Time: July 18, 2020, 17:30 Local
Registration: N4816A
Aircraft: Piper PA22
Aircraft Damage: Substantial
Defining Event: Fuel starvation
Injuries: 1 None
Flight Conducted Under: Part 91: General aviation - Personal Factual Information
Analysis
Before the pilot's departure on a cross-country flight, he added 7.5 gallons of fuel to each wing fuel tank. The pilot reported that before adding fuel, both fuel gauges read ¼ tank. About an hour and half after departure, the engine lost power, had a momentary gain of power, and then lost power again. The pilot selected a road for a forced landing. During the landing, the airplane impacted several mailboxes and a light pole before coming to stop in a residential yard.
Examination of the airplane found substantial damage to the left wing, damage to the right horizontal stabilizer and elevator, and right-side engine cowling. The right-wing fuel tank was then drained and about 5.5 gallons of fuel was recovered, the left-wing fuel tank did not contain any useable fuel. The left fuel gauge read about ¼ and the right fuel gauge read zero. The examination did not confirm the accuracy of the gauges or if the wires were swapped from the left and right fuel tanks. Fuel was added to right wing fuel tank, and the engine started. The engine was operated from idle, to a high power setting, with no abnormalities noted.
The pilot reported on the NTSB Form 6120.1, that he thought the reason for the engine failure was due to fuel exhaustion.
With fuel remaining in the right-wing fuel tank, the loss of engine power is consistent with fuel starvation.
Probable Cause and Findings
The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident to be:
The loss of engine power due to fuel starvation.
Findings
Personnel issues Fuel planning - Pilot
Aircraft Fuel - Fluid management
Aircraft Fuel indication system - Not specified
Factual Information
On July 18, 2020, about 1730 eastern daylight time, a Piper PA-22 airplane, N4816A, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Loveland, Ohio. The pilot was not injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight.
According to the pilot, before adding fuel, both fuel gauges read ¼ tank and he added about 7.5 gallons to each tank, for an additional 15 gallons of fuel. He then departed the Wadsworth Municipal Airport (3G3), Wadsworth, Ohio, en route to the Cincinnati Municipal Airport-Lunken Field (LUK), Lunken, Ohio. About an hour and half after departure, the engine lost power, had a momentary gain of power, and then lost power again. The pilot selected a road for a forced landing. During the landing, the airplane impacted several mailboxes and a light pole before coming to stop in a residential yard.
The pilot reported that he typically switches fuel tanks every 10-15 minutes but did not recall if he did it on this flight. He also did not switch fuel tanks after the initial loss of engine power.
Examination of the airplane found substantial damage to the left wing, damage to the right horizontal stabilizer and elevator, and right-side engine cowling. The fuel selector was in the off position. The right-wing fuel tank was then drained and about 5.5 gallons of fuel was recovered, the left-wing fuel tank did not contain any useable fuel. The carburetor float bowl was checked and no contaminates were found. The left fuel gauge read about ¼ and the right fuel gauge read zero. The examination did not confirm the accuracy of the gauges or if the wires were swapped from the left and right fuel tanks.
During the examination, fuel was added to right wing fuel tank, and the engine started. The engine was operated from idle to a high power setting with no abnormalities noted.
The pilot reported on the NTSB Form 6120.1 that he thought the reason for the engine failure was due to fuel exhaustion.
History of Flight
Enroute Fuel starvation (Defining event)
Landing-landing roll Collision during takeoff/land
Pilot Information
Certificate: Private
Age: 31
Airplane Rating(s): Single-engine land
Seat Occupied: Left
Other Aircraft Rating(s): Helicopter
Restraint Used: Lap only
Instrument Rating(s): None
Second Pilot Present: No
Instructor Rating(s): None
Toxicology Performed: No
Medical Certification: Class 1
Last FAA Medical Exam: March 1, 2016
Occupational Pilot: No
Last Flight Review or Equivalent: April 30, 2019
Flight Time: 528 hours (Total, all aircraft), 168 hours (Total, this make and model), 383 hours (Pilot In Command, all aircraft)
Aircraft and Owner/Operator Information
Aircraft Make: Piper
Registration: N4816A
Model/Series: PA22 150
Aircraft Category: Airplane
Year of Manufacture:
Amateur Built: No
Airworthiness Certificate: Normal
Serial Number: 22-3969
Landing Gear Type: Tailwheel
Seats:
Date/Type of Last Inspection: March 4, 2020 Annual
Certified Max Gross Wt.:
Time Since Last Inspection:
Engines: Reciprocating
Airframe Total Time:
Engine Manufacturer: Lycoming
ELT:
Engine Model/Series: O-320-A2B
Registered Owner:
Rated Power: 150 Horsepower
Operator: On file
Operating Certificate(s) Held: None
Meteorological Information and Flight Plan
Conditions at Accident Site: Visual (VMC)
Condition of Light: Day
Observation Facility, Elevation: KLUK
Distance from Accident Site:
Observation Time: 16:53 Local
Direction from Accident Site:
Lowest Cloud Condition:
Visibility: 7 miles
Lowest Ceiling: Broken / 5500 ft AGL
Visibility (RVR):
Wind Speed/Gusts: 10 knots /
Turbulence Type Forecast/Actual: /
Wind Direction: 230°
Turbulence Severity Forecast/Actual: /
Altimeter Setting: 30.03 inches Hg
Temperature/Dew Point: 32°C / 21°C
Precipitation and Obscuration: No Obscuration; No Precipitation
Departure Point: Wadsworth, OH (3G3)
Type of Flight Plan Filed:
Destination: Lunken, OH (KLUK)
Type of Clearance: VFR
Departure Time: 14:50 Local
Type of Airspace:
Airport
Runway Surface Type:
Airport Elevation:
Runway Surface Condition:
Runway Used:
IFR Approach: None
Runway Length/Width:
VFR Approach/Landing: Forced landing
Wreckage and Impact Information
Crew Injuries: 1 None
Aircraft Damage: Substantial
Passenger Injuries:
Aircraft Fire: None
Ground Injuries: N/A
Aircraft Explosion: None
Total Injuries: 1 None
Latitude, Longitude: 39.267501,-84.26583(est)
Alex was talking about the airplane pilot, only a few years older than him who put a Piper PA-22-150 Caribbean plane down safely about fifty feet away from him as he was mowing the front lawn of his home in Miami Trails. “He was like, ‘Yeah, I’m good. I’m good.” Alex is a Senior at Loveland High School.
The pilot, Phillip Sullivan made the emergency landing while returning from Wadsworth, Ohio to Louisville. He was on a Pilots-N-Paws flight and had delivered puppies to the northern Ohio town that is South of Cleveland.
No one was injured.
Nick Early explains what it was like and what he did when he heard the crash from the upstairs of his home The plane ended up in his front yard. He said, “It was a pretty skilled job, him being able to land it on the street here.”
The plane was headed into John Chevalier’s front yard when a wing clipped off a driveway lamp pole and spun it around preventing any damage to his home. John said that he had already, “Fired up the grill” so he treated the young pilot along with the pilot’s father who drove up from Louisville to check on his son to a steak dinner.
You will hear from Alex, his father Ron, and their neighbors John Chevalier and Nick Early in these LOVELAND MAGAZINE TV interviews.
Ron Salatin said about his son, “What a proud moment. He did all the right things.” He said he told his son, “He should be proud of himself.”
https://www.lovelandmagazine.com
Love to see Those "American Flags Flying" ......great job to all involved!
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