It Should Not Happen To You


	IT SHOULD NOT HAPPEN TO YOU COMANCHE ACCIDENTS, 10.2002 By Omri Talmon Comanche Accidents, 10.2002 10.1 Date: 10/08/2002. Acft: PA-30. DESCRIPTION: ACFT VEERED OFF RWY INTO THE GRASS ON LANDING. Damage: Unknown . One POB, no injuries. 10.2 Date: 10/13/2002. Acft: PA-24-180. DESCRIPTION: ACFT ENGINE SURGED AND LOST POWER. ACFT MADE FORCED LANDING IN BEAN FIELD 8 MILES FROM ARPT. Damage: None. 2 POB, no injuries. 10.3 Date: 10/20/2002. Acft: PA-30. DESCRIPTION: ACFT LEFT MAIN GEAR DID NOT LOCK, COLLAPSED ON LANDING. ACFT SKIDDED DOWN RWY STOPPING PARTIALLY OFF THE RWY. Damage: Minor. 2 POB, no injuries. 10.4 Date: 10/19/2002. Acft: PA-24-250. DESCRIPTION: ACFT DEPARTED AND EXPERIENCED TOTAL ELECTICAL FAILURE. ACFT RETURNED AND LANDING GEAR COLLAPSED UPON TOUCHDOWN. Damage: Substantial. 1 POB, no injuries. 10.5 Date: 10/22/2002. Acft: PA-30. DESCRIPTION: ACFT LOST ENGINE POWER ON TAKE-OFF AND HIT A HOUSE AND POWERLINES, CRASHED IN STREET. Damage: Substantial. 3 POB, all seriously injured. A CASE NTSB Report Accident occurred Sunday, July 30, 2000 at BLUFFTON, OH. Aircraft: Piper PA-24-250. Injuries: 1 Fatal. The pilot departed with full fuel from Bluffton Airport (5G7), Bluffton, Ohio, and flew to Rock County Airport (JVL), Janesville, Wisconsin. In Janesville, the pilot purchased 21.7 gallons of fuel, then flew to Wittman Regional Airport (OSH), Oshkosh, Wisconsin, a total of 94.9 nautical miles. A few days later, the pilot departed OSH and flew to 5G7, a total of 314 nautical miles. Examination of potential fuel stops along the intended route of flight revealed that none had fueled this aircraft. On final approach to 5G7, the airplane was observed to bank sharply to the right, then 'nose dive straight down into the field.' A thin tree line ran perpendicular to the final approach course, and was located between the wreckage and the end of the runway. On-scene examination revealed that there was no evidence of fuel in either wing tank. Both tanks were intact and there was no evidence of fuel streaking or staining. Examination of the fuel lines revealed that they were intact and clear of blockages. Examination of the engine and airplane revealed there were no mechanical deficiencies. The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident as follows. Pilot's improper fuel calculations, which resulted in fuel exhaustion. Also causal, was his abrupt maneuver during the forced landing, which resulted in an inadvertent stall. FULL NARATIVE History Of Flight On July 30, 2000, at 1426 Eastern Daylight Time, a Piper PA-24-250, was substantially damaged when it collided with terrain while on final approach for Runway 23 at Bluffton Airport (5G7), Bluffton, Ohio. The certificated private pilot/owner was fatally injured. The flight originated at Wittman Regional Airport, Oshkosh, Wisconsin, at an undetermined time destined for 5G7. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed for the personal flight conducted under 14 CFR Part 91. An airport employee was working at 5G7 when the pilot announced his approach to the airport. In a written statement, the employee said: "Around 2:10 PM on July 30, 2000, an airplane approaching the Bluffton Airport made a radio call asking what runway was being used. I reported back to the pilot that we were using Runway 23 and the winds were directly out of the southwest at 10-15 knots. The pilot confirmed that we were using Runway 23. He ended with the call sign of his airplane, and he did stutter when saying his call sign. Approximately 2:25 PM, a van pulled up to the front of the airport and the driver got out and told me that an airplane had just crashed north of the airport. He reported that there were people and cars around the crash. The pilot did not make a distress call of any kind and all radio transmissions made were perfectly normal (nothing out of the ordinary)." In a written statement, a witness said: "Observed plane making glide path to the airport. Plane abruptly banked right and into dive straight down. Altitude was 300-500 feet." When a Hancock County Sheriff asked the witness as to what direction the airplane was flying, the witness responded, "southeast." Interstate I-75, which was east of 5G7, ran north and south. Several witnesses were driving on I-75 when they observed the airplane. In a written statement, a second witness said: "I was traveling south on I-75 at about 2:30 PM, when I took notice of a plane flying too low (my husband is a pilot), and banking sharply, just as I came toward exit 142. We watched him bank steeply and crash in a field. I got off the exit and called 911." When interviewed by the Hancock County Sheriff as to what direction the airplane was flying, the witness said: "Going southeast, he was too low. He banked to the right hard and steep. After the abrupt bank, he did a nose dive straight down into the field." The witness was also asked if she saw any smoke or fire. In response to that question, she said, "no, there was nothing." In a written statement, a third witness said: "I was south on I-75, exit 144, when I saw a maroon and white small airplane heading southeast making a hard right bank (heading south towards small airport). He was in his right bank, the plane dropped out of sight. As I passed in my truck, I saw it [had] crashed." An off-duty paramedic arrived at the scene just after the airplane crashed. In a written statement, he said: "..I am a paramedic. I ran to [the] airplane to render aid. Found airplane after nose to ground impact. Gear was down; no odor of fuel, no leaking fuel...Airplane appear[ed] to have stalled after entering steep bank." A Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector interviewed a Bluffton Airport employee who filled the airplane with fuel prior to departure from 5G7 on July 24, 2000. A fuel receipt found in the airplane revealed the pilot purchased 21.7 gallons of fuel on July 25, 2000, at Rock County Airport (JVL), Janesville, Wisconsin. The pilot attended the Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA) Fly-In from July 27-29, 2000, at Wittman Regional Airport(OSH), Oshkosh, Wisconsin. According to the Hancock County Sheriff, the pilot told his wife on July 28, 2000, that he would fly home on the 30th instead of the 29th because of weather. A Safety Board investigator interviewed an employee at Basler Flight Service in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. According to the investigator's record of conversation, the employee stated she had no record of fueling this aircraft. According to DynCorp Direct User Access Terminal System (DUATS), the distance from JVL to OSH was 94.9 nautical miles, and the distance from OSH to 5G7 was 314 nautical miles. Examination of potential fuel stops along the intended route of flight between OSH and 5G7 revealed that none had serviced the aircraft with fuel. The accident occurred during the hours of daylight about 40 degrees, 53 minutes north latitude, and 83 degrees, 51 minutes west longitude Pilot Information The pilot held a private pilot certificate for single-engine land airplane. Examination of his logbook revealed that the last entry was made in June 2000. At that time, the pilot had accrued a total of 855.5 flight hours, of which 57.6 hours were in the accident airplane. His most recent Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) third class medical certificate was issued on October 29, 1998. Airplane Information An annual inspection was completed on the airplane and engine on February 23, 2000, at a tachometer reading of 2,864.88. Wreckage Information The airplane was examined at the accident site on July 31, 2000, and later removed to a secured facility where the engine was examined on August 1, 2000. The on-scene examination revealed the airplane came to rest in a harvested wheat field 8/10 of a mile northeast of Runway 23 of 5GV, on a heading of 060 degrees. All major components of the airplane were accounted for at the scene. A thin treeline ran perpendicular to the final approach course, and was located between the wreckage and the end of the runway. [Several paragraphs removed in order to shorten the report] The landing gear was down. Control cable continuity was established from the cockpit to each flight control surface. Examination of both wing fuel tanks revealed there was no evidence of fuel in either tank. Both tanks were intact and there was no odor of fuel noted around the accident site. There was no evidence of fuel streaking or staining around either fuel tank. The fuel lines from the wing tanks to the engine were intact and clear of blockages. The fuel selector valve was in the right tank position, and fuel finger screens were absent of debris. The fuel strainer bowl was easily removed from its mount. There was no fuel found in the bowl and the screen was absent of debris. The two electric fuel pumps were disassembled. Approximately one tablespoon of clear light blue fuel was collected from both pumps. The carburetor was disassembled and there was no fuel found in the bowl or accelerator chamber. The carburetor fuel screen was absent of debris. All of the internal components of the carburetor were intact. The engine driven fuel pump had separated from the engine. Examination of the pump revealed there was no fuel found in the pump, and the internal components were intact. [Several paragraphs removed in order to shorten the report] Medical And Pathological Information The Deputy Coroner of the Lucas County Coroner's Office, Toledo, Ohio, performed an autopsy on the pilot on July 31, 2000. The FAA Toxicological Accident Research Laboratory, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, performed toxicological testing. [Several paragraphs removed in order to shorten the report] Additional Information Weather at Lima Airport, Lima, Ohio, at 1353, was reported as wind from 200 degrees at 6 knots, visibility 9 statute miles, sky clear, temperature 76 degrees F, dewpoint 65 degrees F, and altimeter setting 29.92 in HG. MY DISCUSSION The NTSB report states as the cause of the accident the "Pilot's improper fuel calculations, which resulted in fuel exhaustion. Also causal, was his abrupt maneuver during the forced landing, which resulted in an inadvertent stall." No need to elaborate on the fuel issue. We have no idea how much fuel was in the aircraft when departing Oshkosh It does not take much to fly 314 NM but the aircraft did not have even this quantity. This was probably the 60 USG (two tank) aircraft so the fuel management is less complicated than with 4 or 6 tanks (sometimes more). The following is not necessarily related to this specific accident but is repeated as a reminder. There are legal reserves required. I personally plan to arrive with a higher reserve. It is essential to check and note the fuel quantities in all tanks just prior to departure. Fuel may drip out or even be stolen. Dead stick landings can occur not only because of fuel exhaustion but also because of engine failure. Our aircraft can glide, with a ratio depending on the configuration (primarily the gear but also the throttles). Gliding is an art by itself, however every pilot should be familiar with the essentials, which are: the best gliding ratios in different configurations and weights. In this case, the pilot lowered the gear sometimes during the flight/glide, thus spoiling the aerodynamics and getting a reduced glide ratio. We have no idea if he could make the runway (just about 4800 ft away) with the gear up and bend lots of aluminum but possibly saving his life. Just for the illustration, the glide ratio of a light (no fuel, 1 POB) 250, gear up, prop set at high pitch, can be expected to be 12:1 or 13:1. It means that the aircraft will cover in no wind conditions one NM for a loss of altitude of 460-500 ft. Lowering the gear will reduce the glide ration to 7:1. It is however up to every pilot to check the characteristics of his/her aircraft. LESSONS Proper fuel management must be an integral and essential part of each flight. The pilot should be familiar with the gliding characteristics of the aircraft he/she flies. PROVERB Fuel is life.