Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Duchesne, Utah 84021
Sunday, August 6, 2000 17:00 MDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

Shortly after takeoff, the pilot switched the fuel selector from the left tank to the right tank and within a few moments the engine lost power. He switched the fuel selector back to the left tank, but could not restart the engine. He made a forced landing on a beach at an approach speed that was a 'little fast.' When he applied brakes, the airplane nosed over. The pilot said he 'may have shut the fuel off,' and later said the fuel selector handle and indicator pointer were not aligned with each other. In 1960, FAA issued A.D. 60-10-08 requiring the inspection of the fuel selector valve to assure proper alignment of the handle and pointer. According to the airplane maintenance records, A.D. 60-10-08 had been complied with. An FAA airworthiness inspector who examined the airplane said the fuel selector operated correctly.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's use of excessive braking on soft terrain. Factors included fuel starvation, the fuel selector valve not engaging properly, the pilot's incorrect positioning of the fuel selector valve, and the soft terrain on which the forced landing was made.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/6/2000
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1700
Event Time Zone Mountain Daylight Time
Event City DUCHESNE
Event State UTAH
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 84021
Event Date Year 2000
Event Date Month 8
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude --
Event Location Longitude --
Event Location Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1653 Mountain Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 35
Weather Observation Facility ID VEL
Elevation of weather observation facility 5274
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 60
Time Zone of the weather observation MDT
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) 33
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 3
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 120
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 7
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 9020
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 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 296
NTSB Notification Source FAA NW OPERATIONS CENTER
NTSB Notification Date Aug 6 2000 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1830
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Mar 4 2001 7:07AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N4689Z
NTSB Number DEN00LA145
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Piper
Aircraft Model PA-22-108
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-22-108
Aircraft Serial Number 22-8227
Certified Max Gross Weight 1650
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 2
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Jun 22 2000 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 35
Airframe Hours 2602
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name DAVID F. EDGERLY
Aircraft Owner Street Address 2612 OAK ROAD DR.
Aircraft Owner City SANDY
Aircraft Owner State UT
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 84092
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 U69
Departure City DUCHESNE
Departure State UT
Departure Country
Departure Time 1450
Departure Time Zone MDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code U42
Destination City SALT LAKE 2
Destination State UT
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Mar 4 2001 7:07AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --