Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Idaho Falls Regional Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Idaho Falls, Idaho 83402
Sunday, July 5, 2009 9:05 MDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
All systems operated normally during a pre-takeoff checkout of the airplane. During the initial climb, the engine performed normally. According to the pilot, upon climbing to about 400 feet above the runway, the engine lost all power. He turned the airplane toward an adjacent runway, but did not have sufficient altitude and airspeed to complete the maneuver and the airplane impacted the ground hard. An examination of the airplane's controls and engine revealed no evidence of any mechanical malfunctions. A small amount of fuel was found in the engine's flow divider, and no fuel was found in the fuel injector lines. The engine ran during a postaccident test run. No mechanical reason was found for the interruption of fuel flow to the engine. According to the pilot, the fuel tanks contained about 31 gallons of fuel when he took off.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
A total loss of engine power during initial climb due to fuel starvation. The underlying reason for the fuel starvation condition could not be determined.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 7/5/2009 |
| Event Day of the Week | Sunday |
| Time of Event | 905 |
| Event Time Zone | Mountain Daylight Time |
| Event City | Idaho Falls |
| Event State | IDAHO |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 83402 |
| Event Date Year | 2009 |
| Event Date Month | 7 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 433049N |
| Event Location Longitude | 1120415W |
| Event Location Airport | Idaho Falls Regional |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | IDA |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | On Airport |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | 0 |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | -- |
| Airport Elevation | 4744 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 853 Mountain Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | -- |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | IDA |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 4744 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 0 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | MDT |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| 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) | 17 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 12 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 350 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 4 |
| 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 KIDA 051453Z 35004KT 10SM CLR 17/12 A3016 |
| Event Highest Injury | Minor |
| On Ground, Fatal Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Minor Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Serious Injuries | -- |
| Injury Total Fatal | -- |
| Injury Total Minor | 1 |
| Injury Total None | -- |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | 1 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 26903 |
| NTSB Notification Source | NM FAA Operations Center |
| NTSB Notification Date | -- |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jun 22 2010 12:14PM |
| User who most recently changed record | johb |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N5PQ |
| NTSB Number | WPR09LA336 |
| 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 | Thomas C. Piper |
| Aircraft Model | Murphy Rebel |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 113 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 1850 |
| Aircraft Category | Airplane |
| Aircraft Registration Class | -- |
| Aircraft is a homebuilt? | Yes |
| 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 | Conditional |
| Date of Last Inspection | Apr 16 2009 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 2 |
| Airframe Hours | 55 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | Yes |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | Unknown |
| Aircraft Owner Name | PIPER THOMAS C |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | -- |
| Aircraft Owner City | IDAHO FALLS |
| Aircraft Owner State | ID |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 83402-2533 |
| Operator is an individual? | Yes |
| Operator Name | PIPER THOMAS C |
| Operator Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Street Address | -- |
| Operator City | IDAHO FALLS |
| Operator State | ID |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 83402-2533 |
| 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 | IDA |
| Departure City | Idaho Falls |
| Departure State | ID |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 904 |
| Departure Time Zone | MDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere |
| Destination Airport Code | IDA |
| Destination City | Idaho Falls |
| Destination State | ID |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | -- |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | May 6 2010 5:12PM |
| User who most recently changed record | coos |
| Since inspection or accident | Time of Accident |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | 35 |
| Runway Length | 4051 |
| Runway Width | 75 |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |