No fatalities

26 Jun 2010: PIPER PA-28-236 — MACKEL NEALAN — Moreno Valley, CA

Moreno Valley, CA, United States

On 26 Jun 2010, a PIPER PA-28-236 operated by MACKEL NEALAN was involved in an aviation accident near Moreno Valley, CA. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: A total loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion. This summary draws on records from NTSB; 10 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.

SourcesNTSBPrimary reportUpdated 1778583330Data APIEditorial standards

A pilot diverted due to reduced visibility, but fuel exhaustion caused engine power loss and a forced landing, damaging the firewall.

Accident Overview

A pilot reported that after entering the vicinity of the intended destination, reduced visibility led to the decision to divert to an alternate airport to maintain visual flight conditions. While en route to the alternate, the fuel supply was exhausted, resulting in a loss of engine power. The pilot executed a forced landing into a field. The airplane collided with terrain during the landing sequence, sustaining damage to the firewall.

Pilot Report

The pilot stated that no pre-impact mechanical failures or malfunctions affected the airframe or engine. He further indicated that the accident might have been prevented if a larger fuel reserve had been carried. The forced landing was initiated after the engine lost power due to fuel depletion.

Damage Assessment

The only noted damage from the event was to the firewall as a direct result of the terrain collision during the forced landing.

Contributing factors

Causes

Fluid level

Other contributing factors

Effect on operation