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WPR23LA267

2023-07-08 · Coquille Bay, Oregon, United States · Serious · 1 aircraft · Status: Completed

Current FAA registration · N9507D

Make / Model
PIPER PA-22-160
Year of manufacture
1958 · 65 years old at event
Engine
LYCOMING 0-320 SERIES (180 hp)
Seats / Engines
4 seats · 1 engine
Last airworthiness date
19581020
ADS-B equipped
Yes — Mode-S AD37F8

Source: FAA Aircraft Registry (releasable master file).

Aircraft involved

Probable cause & findings

The pilot's improper fuel management, which resulted in fuel starvation, a total loss of engine power, and impact with terrain.

Factual narrative

The pilot of the airplane reported that, after completing a preflight inspection of the airplane he departed for a local flight. While enroute, at about 1500 above ground level (agl), the right tank ran out of fuel and the “engine cut out.” As he was switching tanks, the airplane impacted terrain and nosed over. The airplane sustained substantial damage to both wings and forward fuselage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database Retrieved: 2026-02-12

NTSB Findings

FAA avdata. C = Cause, F = Factor.

  • — Personnel issues-Task performance-Use of equip/info-Use of equip/system-Pilot
  • — Aircraft-Fluids/misc hardware-Fluids-Fuel-Fluid management
  • — Personnel issues-Task performance-Planning/preparation-Fuel planning-Pilot
  • — Aircraft-Fluids/misc hardware-Fluids-Fuel-Fluid level

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_2023_WPR23LA267.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

Search this event elsewhere

External sources are reported, not agency: signal that something happened, not fact about what happened.

Related research

Matched on aircraft type or causal vocabulary (fuel starvation). All research papers