Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

American Falls, Idaho 83211
Saturday, July 13, 1985 13:45 MDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE STUDENT SOLO X-COUNTRY FLT DEPARTED OGDEN, UT, AT APRX 1130 MDT AND MADE A TOUCH & GO AT BLACK FOOT, ID, AT APRX 135 MDT. THE PLT STATED THE LANDING WAS A LITTLE ROUGH AND DUE TO THE DISTRACTION, HE FORGOT TO SWITCH FUEL TANKS. FUEL EXHAUSTION OCCURRED AT 1345 MDT AND A FORCED LANDING WAS MADE IN A POTATOE FLD WHERE THE ACFT NOSED OVER. THE PLT STATED A PRINTED EMERGENCY CHECKLIST WAS NOT AVAILABLE AND HE WAS NOT INSTRUCTED TO MEMORIZE A CHECKLIST FOR ENG FAILURE PROCEDURES WHICH INCLUDES SWITCHING FUEL TANKS.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/13/1985
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1345
Event Time Zone Mountain Daylight Time
Event City AMERICAN FALLS
Event State IDAHO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 83211
Event Date Year 1985
Event Date Month 7
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 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 0
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Pilot
Time of the weather observation 0
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation
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) 25
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 27
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 180
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 5
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
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 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1419
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jul 13 1985 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1640
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 28785
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 9:15AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N25678
NTSB Number SEA85LA163
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-38-112
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-38-112
Aircraft Serial Number 38-81A0050
Certified Max Gross Weight 1670
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 Unknown
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name THEORDORE ANGEL
Aircraft Owner Street Address 1188 EAST SHOREWOOD DRIVE
Aircraft Owner City KAIPVILLE
Aircraft Owner State ID
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name SUNWEST AVIATION
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 3909 S. AIRPORT ROAD
Operator City OGDEN
Operator State UT
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 84037
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate Yes - certificate holder
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 U05
Departure City BLACKFOOT
Departure State ID
Departure Country
Departure Time 1315
Departure Time Zone MDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code TWF
Destination City TWIN FALLS
Destination State ID
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:36AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length 0
Runway Width 0
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --