FlightFollowerice cool Student Pilot Pulls Off Water Landing Following Engine Failure
Accident Facts
- Accident
- ERA25LA003
- Date
- 3 October 2024
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-181 N8575F
- Location
- Tampa Bay, Florida
- Flight
- Part 91 instructional / solo cross-country
- Injuries
- 1 none
- Probable cause
- Fuel starvation
What Happened
On 3 October 2024, Piper PA-28-181 N8575F was involved in an accident in Tampa Bay, Florida during a Part 91 instructional flight. The student pilot survived the forced landing without injury, but the airplane sustained substantial damage.
The flight began as a dual cross-country operation from Albert Whitted Airport to Sebring Regional Airport and back. After returning to Albert Whitted, the instructor left the airplane and the student departed alone to continue the cross-country flight. The student reported that he had not added fuel after the instructor departed.
How the Fuel Margin Disappeared
The planned route was approximately 217 nautical miles, but weather required an alternate route of about 284 nautical miles. The longer routing increased the fuel requirement. The NTSB's investigation found that the airplane had 48 gallons of usable fuel, divided between two wing tanks, and that the student had started the flight with a substantial quantity of fuel.
The problem was not simply the amount of fuel loaded. The investigation found that fuel management during the flight was also significant. The aircraft's avionics provided an alert associated with switching tanks every 30 minutes, but the student did not manage the selected tank in a way that prevented that tank from becoming depleted.
Engine Failure and Water Landing
While returning toward Albert Whitted, approximately 9 nautical miles from the destination and about 800 feet above the ground, the student reported that the engine “stalled, came back and stalled again.” The engine then lost power completely. Because of the low altitude, the student did not complete the full engine-power-loss checklist and instead selected a landing area.
The student chose Tampa Bay rather than the tree-covered terrain below and completed an emergency water landing. The airplane struck the water and sustained substantial damage to the left wing. The student was not injured.
Investigation and Probable Cause
The NTSB examined the airframe and engine and found no preimpact mechanical malfunction or failure that would have prevented normal operation. The investigation used fuel calculations and the reported engine performance to determine that the engine was likely starved of fuel. The first action on the engine power-loss checklist was to select a tank containing fuel, but the aircraft was already at low altitude when the power loss occurred.
The NTSB determined that the probable cause was a total loss of engine power due to fuel starvation. Contributing factors were inadequate preflight fuel planning by the student and instructor and improper in-flight fuel management by the student.