NTSB Factual Report

On October 26, 2003, approximately 1254 central standard time, a Piper PA-28-161 single-engine airplane, N8090E, was substantially damaged during a forced landing following a loss of engine power near Henryetta, Oklahoma. The student pilot, the sole occupant of the airplane, was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 cross-country flight. The flight departed Davis Field Airport (MKO), near Muskogee, Oklahoma, at 1215, and was destined for the University of Oklahoma Westheimer Airport (OUN), near Norman, Oklahoma.

The 37-hour student pilot reported in the Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report (NTSB Form 6120.1/2), "20-30 minutes after takeoff, the engine quit." The flight was provided a heading by Fort Worth Center toward Henryetta Municipal Airport (F10), near Henryetta, Oklahoma; however, the pilot was unable to reach the airport and landed in a field. The student pilot waited to switch the fuel tanks for the first time until after leaving MKO. The engine was still running when she switched the tanks.

Maintenance personnel started the engine, and ran it for several minutes on both fuel tanks. Unusable fuel was used in the left tank, and after running the engine on the left tank, less than 1 quart of fuel was drained from it. The right fuel tank was full. The fuel selector was later tested, and determined to be operating normally in all settings.

An FAA inspector, who responded to the accident site, reported that the left wing tip was ripped back, and the right landing gear was folded underneath the airplane. The FAA inspector added that the Emergency Locator Transmitter (ELT) was armed, and there was evidence of fuel at the accident site. The left fuel tank had a small amount of fuel in the tank, and the right fuel tank was full. The fuel selector was found on the right fuel tank position.

In the Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report (NTSB Form 6120.1/2) recommendation section, the operator stated, "Had she employed fuel management procedures (switching tanks every 30 minutes in flight and switching to fullest tank prior to each landing), upon switching to the right tank for the first time, if she had experienced an engine failure, she would have been able to switch back to the left tank and perhaps gotten the engine started." He also reported that keeping the fuel levels balanced would have made it easier to maintain straight flight during her emergency landing.

NTSB Probable Cause

A loss of engine power due to fuel starvation. A contributing factor was the inadequate inflight planning procedures for a cross country flight.