NTSB MIA83LA190 — 1983-07-23 · MERRITT ISLAND, Florida, United States

Current FAA registration · N3936P

Make / Model: PIPER PA-22-150
Year of manufacture: 1956 · 27 years old at event
Engine: LYCOMING 0-320 SERIES (180 hp)
Seats / Engines: 4 seats · 1 engine
Last airworthiness date: 19560117
ADS-B equipped: Yes — Mode-S A49126

Source: FAA Aircraft Registry (releasable master file).

Aircraft involved

N3936P Piper PA-22-150 None

Factual narrative

THE PLT REPORTED THAT DURING THE PREFLT, HE DID NOT VISUALLY CHECK THE FUEL TANKS, BUT RELIED OF THE FUEL GAUGES. THEY INDICATED THERE WAS 7 GAL IN THE LEFT TANK & 4 GAL IN THE RIGHT TANK. THE PLT TOOK OFF USING FUEL FROM THE LEFT TANK TO PRACTICE TOUCH-AND-GO LANDINGS, THEN A SHORT TIME LATER, CHANGED TO THE RIGHT TANK. WHILE TAKING OFF FROM THE 2ND TOUCH-AND-GO, THE ENG LOST POWER AT APRX 400 FT AGL. THE PLT ATTTEMPTED TO SWITCH BACK TO THE LEFT TANK, BUT MADE AN EMERGENCY LANDING WITH THE FUEL SELECTOR BACK ON THE RIGHT TANK. THE ACFT CAME TO REST, UPRIGHT, IN A DRAINAGE DITCH. THE PLT REPORT THAT DURING THE LANDING ROLL-OUT, THE ACFT WENT INTO HEAVY BRUSH & THAT HE WAS NOT AWARE OF THE LOCATION OF THE DITCH. FOUR GAL OF FUEL WAS DRAINED FROM THE THE LEFT TANK, BUT NO FUEL WAS FOUND IN THE RIGHT TANK. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_1983_MIA83LA190.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

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