On August 5, 2006, a Piper PA-25 (registration N7587Z) was involved in an aviation accident near Minot, ND. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion as a result of the pilot's inadequate fuel calculations and the low airspeed which resulted in the pilot stalling the airplane. A factor was the car on the road which prevented the pilot from landing on the road. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
An agricultural spray airplane sustained substantial damage after impacting terrain following a loss of control during a forced landing. The pilot reported engine power loss and a subsequent stall while maneuvering to avoid traffic.
Incident Details
An agricultural spray airplane sustained substantial damage when it impacted terrain after a loss of control during a forced landing. The pilot reported that the aircraft had approximately two hours of fuel onboard at departure and was used to spray a field. About 1.5 hours after departure, while returning to his private airstrip, the engine lost power. The pilot attempted a forced landing onto a gravel road, but a car was approaching, so he changed direction to avoid ground traffic. During this maneuver, the stall warning light illuminated while the aircraft was in a left bank. The pilot stated, "I started to flare about 50 ft. above the ground and the plane stalled dropping the left wing before impact."
Investigation Findings
Inspection of the airplane revealed that the fuel tanks were empty. No other causes or contributing factors were identified in the source material.