Meadow Lake Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Falcon, Colorado 80831
Sunday, February 22, 2009 13:00 MST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot said that he preflighted the airplane and noted the following fuel gauge indications: Left tip tank, 6 gallons (17 gallon capacity); left main tank, 12-15 gallons (25 gallon capacity); right main tank, 5-10 gallons (25 gallon capacity); right tip tank, empty (17 gallon capacity). The pilot and a friend flew for about 1.5 hours then returned to the airport. While on short final approach, the engine lost power. The airplane touched down in a field 200 to 300 feet short of the runway and struck a barbed wire fence. The airplane sustained leading edge damage to both wings and damage to the left main tank. A Federal Aviation Administration inspector examined the airplane and reported finding the fuel selector positioned on the left main fuel tank. He found fuel in the fuel selector drain and in the left main fuel tank drain. There was a negligible amount of fuel in the right main tank fuel drain. The left wing tip tank contained approximately 3 to 5 gallons, and the right wing tip tank contained approximately 2 to 4 gallons. With the fuel selector positioned on the left main tank, the engine was started and allowed to run for approximately 5 minutes. The fuel selector was then positioned on the left wing tip tank and the engine was allowed to run for another 5 minutes. The fuel selector was then positioned on the right wing tip tank, and the engine continued to run. The fuel selector was positioned on the right main tank and approximately one to two minutes later the engine stopped running. According to a Piper Aircraft Company spokesman, the airplane's engine, operating at 7000 feet mean sea level and 75 percent power, will consume about 14 gallons per hour.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

A loss of engine power due to fuel starvation as a result of the pilot's inadequate fuel management.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 2/22/2009
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1300
Event Time Zone Mountain Standard Time
Event City Falcon
Event State COLORADO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 80831
Event Date Year 2009
Event Date Month 2
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 385644N
Event Location Longitude 1043411w
Event Location Airport Meadow Lake
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 00V
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 6874
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1255 Mountain Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 265
Weather Observation Facility ID AFF
Elevation of weather observation facility 6572
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 16
Time Zone of the weather observation MST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 17000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Few
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) 12
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -18
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 170
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 9
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.16
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report METAR KAFF 221955Z AUTO 17009KT 10SM FEW170 12/M18
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 25412
NTSB Notification Source FAA ANM ROC
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information --
Date of most recent change to record Jun 2 2009 2:13PM
User who most recently changed record johb
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N9487W
NTSB Number CEN09LA171
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
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-28C-235
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 28-11226
Certified Max Gross Weight 2900
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class --
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats 2
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats 4
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 Nov 1 2008 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 25
Airframe Hours 3719
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name 9487W LLC
Aircraft Owner Street Address 793 Spruce Rd.
Aircraft Owner City Larkspur
Aircraft Owner State CO
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 801186539
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name 9487W LLC
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address 793 Spruce Rd.
Operator City Larkspur
Operator State CO
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 801186539
Operator Code --
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
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 Yes
Departure Airport Code 00V
Departure City Falcon
Departure State CO
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1130
Departure Time Zone MST
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code 00V
Destination City Falcon
Destination State CO
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jun 2 2009 2:14PM
User who most recently changed record johb
Since inspection or accident Time of Accident
Event Location Runway Number and Location 15
Runway Length 6000
Runway Width 60
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --