On March 15, 1996, a Piper PA-38-112 (registration N2503B) was involved in an aviation accident near St. Paul, MN. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: the pilot's failure to assure an adequate fuel supply for the flight which resulted in fuel exhaustion. A factor associated with the accident was the signs contacted by the airplane during the forced landing. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
The pilot experienced a rapid loss of engine power during flight, momentarily restored power by switching fuel tanks, but the engine quit again, resulting in a forced landing on a road. The aircraft struck two street signs and the nose gear collapsed.
Accident Summary
A pilot reported that the engine rapidly lost power while the aircraft was in flight. After switching fuel tanks, the pilot was able to momentarily restore power. However, the engine quit a second time, forcing the pilot to execute a forced landing on a road.
Sequence of Events
During the forced landing, the airplane contacted two street signs before coming to a stop. Additionally, the nose gear collapsed. The pilot noted that the Hobbs meter indicated 4 hours and 11 minutes of operation between the aircraft's last refueling and the accident.
Postaccident Inspection
A postaccident inspection of the aircraft revealed that residual fuel remained in the fuel system.