Four Corners Regional Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Farmington, New Mexico 87401
Saturday, July 1, 1995 7:33 MDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

DURING THE AIRCRAFT PREFLIGHT INSPECTION, THE PILOT VERIFIED THE MAIN FUEL TANKS WERE FULL BUT DID NOT CHECK THE AUXILIARY TANKS. WHILE PERFORMING THE PRE-TAKEOFF CHECK, THE PILOT 'GLANCED AT' THE FUEL SELECTOR AND 'THOUGHT IT WAS ON THE LEFT MAIN' FUEL TANK. SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF AND AT AN ALTITUDE OF 150 FEET, THE ENGINE LOST POWER. THE AIRPLANE LANDED 'VERY HARD' ON THE TAKEOFF RUNWAY, 800 FEET FROM THE DEPARTURE END. POSTACCIDENT INSPECTION DISCLOSED THE RIGHT AUXILIARY FUEL TANK HAD ABOUT 2 INCHES OF FUEL AT THE BOTTOM OF THE TANK. THE LEFT AUXILIARY FUEL TANK WAS DRY AS IT WOULD NOT REGISTER ON A DIPSTICK.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO VERIFY THE FUEL TANK SELECTOR POSITION AND THE RESULTANT FUEL STARVATION INDUCED POWER LOSS.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/1/1995
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 733
Event Time Zone Mountain Daylight Time
Event City FARMINGTON
Event State NEW MEXICO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 87401
Event Date Year 1995
Event Date Month 7
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport FOUR CORNERS REGIONAL
Event Location Nearest Airport ID FMN
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 5503
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 647 Mountain Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID FMN
Elevation of weather observation facility 5503
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation MDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 8000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 50
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 13
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 10
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 70
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 10
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 6282
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 5
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 452
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jul 1 1995 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1212
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 7 2000 4:24PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N4823T
NTSB Number FTW95LA275
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed VFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-32-260
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-32-260
Aircraft Serial Number 32-7200025
Certified Max Gross Weight 3400
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 6
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Jul 1 1994 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 96
Airframe Hours 2669
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name KENNETH J. CRANE
Aircraft Owner Street Address RR 3, BOX 219
Aircraft Owner City CLINTON
Aircraft Owner State IN
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 47842
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code FMN
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 733
Departure Time Zone MDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code 17K
Destination City BOISE CITY
Destination State OK
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Emergency landing
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:34AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 5
Runway Length 6501
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --