St Augustine Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

St. Augustine, Florida 32095
Saturday, September 23, 1995 10:30 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE FLIGHT DEPARTED WITH FULL FUEL TANKS AND THE PILOT STATED THAT ABOUT 1 HOUR AFTER TAKEOFF HE REPOSITIONED THE FUEL SELECTOR FROM THE RIGHT TANK TO THE LEFT TANK. THE FLIGHT CONTINUED, ENTERED THE TRAFFIC PATTERN TO LAND, AND THE PILOT EXTENDED THE DOWNWIND LEG DUE TO TRAFFIC. THE FLIGHT THEN TURNED LEFT BASE AND THE ENGINE FAILED TO RESPOND TO THROTTLE INPUT. THE AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH TREES DURING THE FORCED LANDING. THE AIRPLANE WAS RECOVERED AND BOTH FUEL TANKS WERE FOUND TO BE RUPTURED. THE FUEL SELECTOR WAS FOUND POSITIONED TO THE RIGHT FUEL TANK. THE FUEL LINE TO THE INLET OF THE CARBURETOR AND CARBURETOR BOWL WERE DRAINED AND CONTAINED ABOUT 1-2 OUNCES OF FUEL EACH. NO FUEL CONTAMINATION NOR OBSTRUCTIONS OF THE FUEL SUPPLY SYSTEM WERE NOTED. AN UNDAMAGED PROPELLER WAS INSTALLED AS WELL AS AN AUXILIARY FUEL TANK AND THE ENGINE WAS STARTED AND FOUND TO OPERATE NORMALLY.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

FUEL STARVATION FOR UNDETERMINED REASONS RESULTING IN THE TOTAL LOSS OF ENGINE POWER. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS UNSUITABLE TERRAIN ENCOUNTERED DURING THE FORCED LANDING.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/23/1995
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1030
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City ST. AUGUSTINE
Event State FLORIDA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 32095
Event Date Year 1995
Event Date Month 9
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport ST AUGUSTINE
Event Location Nearest Airport ID SGJ
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 1
Degrees magnetic from airport 310
Airport Elevation 11
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1127 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 130
Weather Observation Facility ID SGJ
Elevation of weather observation facility 11
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 1
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 30
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 23
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 80
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 7
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) --
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 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 936
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Sep 25 1995 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 800
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 7 2000 4:36PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N40971
NTSB Number MIA95LA231
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
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 32-7400026
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 Sep 6 1995 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 16
Airframe Hours 6539
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name POMPANO SENIOR SQUADRON FLYING
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 1762
Aircraft Owner City POMPANO BEACH
Aircraft Owner State FL
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 33061
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 No
Departure Airport Code PMP
Departure City POMPANO
Departure State FL
Departure Country
Departure Time 845
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code SGJ
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Approach
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 13
Runway Length 6900
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --