On July 5, 1996, a Piper PA-25-235 (registration N7730Z) was involved in an aviation accident near Kenmare, ND. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: the pilot's improper refueling procedure, inadequate preflight and the inadvertent stall. A factor related to the accident was the low altitude at which the loss of power occurred. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
A pilot returning to the airport reported that the engine quit. During a left turn to land into the wind and avoid obstacles, the airplane struck the ground nose-down and left wing down, then pivoted 180 degrees. Examination found no fuel in the airplane or at the site.
Accident Details
According to the pilot, the accident occurred while he was returning to the airport. He stated that the engine quit, prompting him to attempt a left turn to land into the wind and to avoid a road and a power line ahead of the airplane. The airplane subsequently contacted the ground in a nose-down and left wing-down attitude, then pivoted 180 degrees to point straight north.
Pilot Statement
The pilot reported that he did not know how much fuel was in the airplane at the time of the accident. He described his normal fueling procedure as fueling until the automatic shut-off on the fueling nozzle engaged. However, he noted that he fueled the airplane from his own 100-gallon tank, which lacked a meter, and therefore he could not track the amount of fuel added.
Wreckage Examination
Examination of the wreckage revealed no evidence of fuel in the airplane. Additionally, no evidence of fuel was found at the accident site.