The airline transport pilot reported to local law enforcement that, while he was flying at 1,000′, the Piper PA-28’s engine experienced a total loss of power. He subsequently conducted a forced landing onto a large trucking yard in Whittier, California.
The landing site was about 61 miles northwest of the departure airport and in the opposite direction of his intended destination.
Examination of the airplane revealed that the fuel selector was set to the right fuel tank. The master electrical switch was “ON,” the right fuel gauge indicated empty, and the left fuel gauge indicated between 0 and 5 gallons. The fuel tanks were intact and undamaged. It is likely that the loss of engine power was the result of fuel starvation.
Responding law enforcement officers reported that they could smell a strong odor of alcohol emitting from the pilot. A formal blood test, which was administered about five hours after the accident, revealed that the pilot had a blood alcohol concentration of 0.16%.
The effects of ethanol on aviators are generally well understood — it significantly impairs pilots’ performance, even at very low levels.
FAA regulations prohibit any person from acting or attempting to act as a crewmember of a civil aircraft while having 0.040 gm/dl or more ethanol in the blood.
Probable cause: The pilot’s impaired decision-making due to alcohol intoxication and his improper fuel management, which resulted in a total loss of engine power due to fuel starvation.
NTSB Identification: WPR17LA092
This April 2017 accident report is provided by the National Transportation Safety Board. Published as an educational tool, it is intended to help pilots learn from the misfortunes of others.
