Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Scottsdale Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Scottsdale, Arizona 85255
Sunday, December 8, 2002 20:27 MST
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The airplane lost engine power during the takeoff initial climb. The pilot reported the power loss was smooth, without vibration or roughness. There was not sufficient runway remaining, so the pilot set up for a landing on a street and the engine power came back. He then attempted to turn back to the runway, but the engine quit again. The pilot then landed the airplane in a parking lot, and the left wing struck a light pole. Prior to the accident flight, the airplane was fueled to the tabs (34 usable gallons) and flown for 2.4 hours by another individual. Then, the airplane was rented to the pilot of the accident flight. The operator's policy was to fuel their airplanes to the tabs after each flight. The pilot reported visually checking the fuel during his preflight and observing that it was "at or slightly below the tabs." He also stated the fuel gauge readings appeared to be consistent with what he observed in the tanks. The airplane fueler reported that he pulled up to the airplane and asked the pilot if he needed fuel. The pilot responded that he was "good" and did not need any fuel. The pilot departed and switched fuel tank positions every 1/2 hour during the flight. The airplane was flown for 2.3 hours until it lost engine power. Post accident documentation found the fuel selector in the left tank position. Three gallons of fuel were found in the right wing tank and zero gallons were found in the left wing tank. There was no evidence of fuel leakage or staining to the asphalt under the airplane. The airplane was flown for a total of 4.7 hours after being fueled to the tabs. The airplane burns 6.6 gallons per hour (gph) at 55 percent power. At this power setting, the total fuel burn calculated for the two flights was 31 gallons, leaving 3 gallons remaining in the tanks. The calculations were based on cruise performance only.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The pilot's inadequate preflight inspection and failure to refuel the airplane resulting in a loss of engine power due to fuel starvation.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 12/8/2002 |
| Event Day of the Week | Sunday |
| Time of Event | 2027 |
| Event Time Zone | Mountain Standard Time |
| Event City | Scottsdale |
| Event State | ARIZONA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 85255 |
| Event Date Year | 2002 |
| Event Date Month | 12 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 333700N |
| Event Location Longitude | 1115400W |
| Event Location Airport | Scottsdale Airport |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | SDL |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | Off Airport/Airstrip |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | 0.25 |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | 45 |
| Airport Elevation | 1510 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | Not pertinent |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 2030 Mountain Standard Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 0 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | SDL |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 1510 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 0 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | MST |
| Lighting Conditions | Dusk |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | -- |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | -- |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Clear |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | None |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | -- |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | -- |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 10 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 14 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 13 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 360 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 3 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | 0 |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 30.18 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | 1633 |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | -- |
| Event Highest Injury | Minor |
| On Ground, Fatal Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Minor Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Serious Injuries | -- |
| Injury Total Fatal | -- |
| Injury Total Minor | 2 |
| Injury Total None | -- |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | 2 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 15932 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA |
| NTSB Notification Date | Dec 8 2002 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 1955 |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | DMS |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jul 29 2004 7:30AM |
| User who most recently changed record | NTSB\MONR |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | WP-FSDO-Scottsdale, AZ |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N2588Y |
| NTSB Number | LAX03LA047 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | None |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | No |
| Damage | Substantial |
| Aircraft Fire | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | Piper |
| Aircraft Model | PA-28-161 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 28-8516084 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 2325 |
| 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 | 4 |
| Number of Engines | 1 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Fixed |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | 100 Hour |
| Date of Last Inspection | Dec 5 2002 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | -- |
| Airframe Hours | 9473.9 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | Michael Mavity |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 4766 E. Falcon Drive |
| Aircraft Owner City | Mesa |
| Aircraft Owner State | AZ |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 85215 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | Falcon Executive Aviation |
| Operator Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Street Address | 4766 E. Falcon Drive |
| Operator City | Mesa |
| Operator State | AZ |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 85215 |
| Operator Code | -- |
| Owner has at least one certificate | None |
| Other Operator of large aircraft? | -- |
| Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation | -- |
| 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 | TUS |
| Departure City | Tucson |
| Departure State | AZ |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1920 |
| Departure Time Zone | MST |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | -- |
| Destination Airport Code | FFZ |
| Destination City | Mesa |
| Destination State | AZ |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Takeoff - initial climb |
| Report sent to ICAO? | No |
| Evacuation occurred | No |
| Date of most recent change to record | May 27 2004 2:17PM |
| User who most recently changed record | COOS |
| Since inspection or accident | Last Inspection |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | 3 |
| Runway Length | 8249 |
| Runway Width | 100 |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |